


Oceans Between

by ParadiseAvenger



Series: Write It Again [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Forced Prostitution, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Sexual Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:24:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 78,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18773989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadiseAvenger/pseuds/ParadiseAvenger
Summary: After Kairi was kidnapped, Sora drove himself to the ends of the earth searching for her. Riku could only hope that if they found her, Sora would find himself too. Kairi wasn't all they lost that day...Rewrite of Oceans Apart from 2010.





	1. Sound of Silence

So, I originally wrote and posted this on Fanfiction.net in 2010. It was something I wrote to take a break from my favorite fandom [Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle] when I thought I was writing badly. Now, it's 2019. Since my father passed away, I've wanted to write but haven't really felt able to do so. Everything I write [regardless of the fandom] seems to wind up having evil or dead parents, which I just can't seem to handle.

So, I thought I would have a little experiment. I'm going to rewrite this old story just to see how I've changed and what I would do differently with my writing now. It's been nine years after all. So, I'm really doing this for myself but I thought I would share in case anyone else was curious how far I've come as well.

XXX

Agrabah was beautiful.

Kairi danced ahead of Riku and Sora, her ankle boots slipping and sliding in the soft rolling dunes. Riku and Sora trailed behind at a more sedate pace. Then again, they had seen Agrabah upwards of five times. Though the novelty hadn't really worn off for Sora, Riku was beyond over the sand and the heat. Kairi squealed with delight as she reached the crest of the highest dune she could see. She stood as tall as she could, shading her eyes against the blinding desert sunlight with her hand. A heat mirage rippled on the horizon, shining like a castle, beckoning with a siren's call.

Kairi shifted her weight, squinting to get a better look at the endless golden Sahara. The soft sand abruptly gave beneath her feet. Kairi yelped, sinking and slipping down the side of the dune. Stinging grains of baking sand flew up at her bare legs as she tried to catch herself, filling her boots and dragging her down even faster. Helplessly, she slid all the way to the base of the dune and landed hard on her rear end. The sand was hot on her backside as well. Abruptly, she wished that she had chosen to wear pants like Sora and Riku. She scrambled to her feet and began brushing herself off.

“Kairi!” Sora shouted.

Still brushing sand from her legs, she turned and stared up at him.

Sora stood at the top of the dune, looking down at the shaky path she had carved through the smooth sand to the bottom.

“I'm alright,” she called. “I just slipped.”

Sora beamed. Then, in an infuriating display of grace and skill, he bent his knees and slid down the dune as though on an invisible surfboard, kicking up sand with his over-sized boots. He stopped beside her and turned to look back at the elaborate curly trail he had created. Compared to Kairi's messy slide, it looked like wedding script beside a toddler's scribble.

Riku crested the dune and looked down at both of them with heavy suffering. His pale skin was already flushed red with sunburn and his white hair reflected the light painfully. “Would you two stop clowning around?” he demanded. “I know you love the heat, but I could stand to get out of it sometime before I burn to a crisp.”

Sora laughed. “Don't worry, Riku,” he said. “We can go to Atlantica after this and play in the water.”

“Atlantica?” Kairi repeated. She clapped her hands with delight, lost her balance in the soft sand, staggered a few steps, and grasped at the front of Sora's shirt to steady herself. Eagerly, she asked, “You mean, I'll get to become a mermaid?”

Sora rubbed the back of his head, trying not to envision Kairi in a seashell bra like Ariel. “Well, it depends,” he admitted. “When we land in a world like that, the world's magic decides what you become.”

Kairi's blue eyes sparkled. “What did you become, Sora?”

“I have the tail of a dolphin,” Sora told her. He took her hand, jumped high, and glided to the top of the dune where Riku was waiting.

Kairi's feet slipped around at the edge of the dune again, but Sora kept his grip on her hand to stop her from sliding back down. “What about you, Riku?” she asked as she steadied herself against Sora’s side.

Riku's face was already so flushed by the sun that it was hard to tell if he was embarrassed or not.

It was Sora's little snort of laughter that gave his emotional state away.

“Sora,” Riku snapped and pointed his finger into Sora's face fiercely. “Don't you dare—”

“He's got the tail of an eel,” Sora blurted. “And it's ridiculously long.”

“Atlantica is a dumb world,” Riku grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “I notice that you didn't tell her about how Donald gets turned into an octopus.”

Kairi giggled.

“Donald looks ridiculous no matter what world we're in,” Sora retorted. “He's a talking duck.”

Riku rolled his eyes. “Let's get this show on the road,” he said curtly and fell in on Kairi’s other side. “Back to the city. Now.” He grasped Kairi's elbow to keep her from falling in the sand and also prevent her from running off to explore again.

Sora kept his grasp on her hand, his fingers rough and callused.

Kairi giggled, bouncing between them with excitement despite the outrageous heat and baking sun. Together, they walked her out of the Sahara and back through the massive sandstone gates into Agrabah. By the time they reached the city, Riku was too hot to focus. He couldn't wait to get inside and get something cold to drink. Kairi was finally beginning to show signs of sunburn. Sora, for his part, was infuriatingly unmolested by the weather. He was an islander through and through.

“I'm dying,” Riku told them. “It's way too hot.”

Sora chuckled at his expense. “There's a restaurant here somewhere. Why don't we grab lunch?”

“I have a potion,” Kairi offered, breaking free from Riku's grasp to rummage in her hip pouch. “Want some?”

Riku shook his head and regarded his watch, but he hadn't adjusted it to Agrabah's time and it told him only that he should have been asleep according to the time in their previous world. “Lunch would be great,” he agreed. “Are you hungry, Kairi?”

“I could eat,” she said. Her footsteps fell heavy on the sandstone path.

“Well, be careful what you order here,” Sora explained with an air of woeful experience. “Lots of spicy stuff.”

Kairi made a face, darted ahead of them, and spun through the narrow streets of the bazaar. She marveled at all the strange items, the obscure fruits, the draped clothes, and so-called treasures. A merchant dove in on her inexperience, trying to convince her to by a combination hookah-and-coffee-maker before Sora towed her away. Riku found a silk scarf of the color of the ocean, draped it over the top of Kairi’s head, and paid the merchant. It matched her eyes and she drew it over her hair with a laugh and a smile.

As the stalls of the marketplace gave way to restaurants and bars, Kairi tried to read Agrabah's native language to no avail. “How about this place?” 

“That's a shoe store,” Sora told her with a grin.

Kairi huffed and explored another block ahead. “This one?” she asked finally, pointing up at the blue sign hanging into the alley.

Sora came to stand beside her and pushed open the door to peer inside. The atmosphere inside was smoky and dark, more a bar than a restaurant. Heavy music and chatter floated out, hanging in the stifling air. Riku paused behind Sora and Kairi, using his height to look inside over their heads. Cool air drifted out and that was enough to persuade Riku that this was as fine a place as any to have lunch.

“Looks good,” Riku said and steered them both inside with a hand on each shoulder.

A waitress swathed in translucent pink silk greeted them, took them to a table, handed over some menus, and gave them glasses of ice water.

Kairi peered at the printed letters and then whispered to Sora, “I can't read any of this.”

Sora leaned close and pointed at a few arrangements of characters. “That one says 'hot' and that one says 'chicken,' Kai.”

Kairi tilted her head and then nodded. “Okay,” she said slowly.

Riku took a long drink of his cool water and then rolled the damp glass along his forehead. He scoured in the bar, searching the shadows with a pinpoint gaze.

Sora elbowed him. “Relax, Riku. We haven’t seen a single Heartless here.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re not here,” Riku told Sora, but the heavy tone in his voice was somewhat ruined by the way he kept pressing his icy glass to a new place on his face every few seconds.

Kairi cradled the glass in her palms and took a drink. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she had become.

The waitress returned, her many bracelets jingling musically. “Ready to order?”

Sora nodded brightly and set about pointing to several things on the menu. When he finished, he leaned in close and whispered, “Did I order anything spicy?”

She smiled, dark eyes hooded. “Nothing too spicy,” she assured him.

Sora didn’t look convinced, but let her put the order in.

“What did you even order?” Riku asked Sora.

“Not sure,” Sora said and scratched the back of his neck absently. “I just avoided the word I know means spicy.”

A few minutes later, the waitress brought more water and a plate fresh fruits, vegetables, and steaming flat bread. She lifted a variety of colored sauces off her tray and arranged them in the center of the table. Then, with a smile, she sauntered away.

Riku picked up a slice of cucumber and relished the cool crisp bite of it.

“Be careful,” Sora counseled, eyeing the bright red sauce and fruits suspiciously. “Watch out for anything that color.”

Riku chose a slice of red fruit, dipped it into the red sauce, and brought it to his mouth, maintaining eye contact with Sora while he did so. Sora winced as Riku popped it into his mouth and began chewing. After a second, it became apparent that Riku had made a terrible mistake, but he tried to play it off. Casually, he reached for his water glass and drained the whole thing, eyes streaming and nose running.

“I warned you,” Sora said with a sigh and pushed his glass across the table.

Riku drained that too and Kairi passed him a napkin.

“It wasn’t that spicy,” Riku insisted, but his flushed face gave him away. “Don’t eat any of that, Kairi,” he said under his breath to her.

Kairi chuckled and chose a piece of cucumber for herself, smiling as Riku tried to convince Sora to fall prey to the red sauce.

Sora was having none of it and delicately picked around all the reddest and spiciest-smelling dishes.

After lunch, they headed back out into the city in search of Aladdin. They had already visited Jasmine, but the once-street-rat was harder to locate. Sora led them on a winding path through the seedier alleyways and darkened corners. Riku kept his eyes peeled for Heartless and Kairi stayed close to them, but she wasn’t afraid. Sora grasped her hand when she bumped him and smiled down at her. She knew her friends would never allow anything to happen to her while they traveled. They lapped the city twice, searching for Aladdin and Heartless alike, but found neither.

They climbed together to the highest spire of the lower city. It was a favorite hiding place of Aladdin’s, but he wasn’t there either. However, it did have the greatest view Kairi had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. The palace glistened to her left, piled high and decadent like a wedding cake, and the desert stretched endlessly beyond the city’s walls.

“Wow,” she breathed, resting her palms on the rough-hewn wall. “It’s beautiful.”

“Come on,” Sora said with a mischievous smile. He took her hand, towed her into the windowsill, and jumped.

Kairi’s stomach lurched a moment before his magic caught them and then they were gliding. The wind whispered through her hair and Sora kept a firm grip around her waist as they glided over the city below. She couldn’t help but stare at everything below her and then abruptly wished she had worn pants. She clasped a hand over her skirt and squeezed her thighs together. 

Sora gingerly touched down on the very top of the border wall, giving Kairi an uninhibited view of the desert and the setting sun. She held his hand tightly, too nervous to let go when they were so high up. Sora stepped close behind her, his chest warm at her back, steadying her so that she could enjoy the view to the fullest.

A few feet away, Riku landed shakily and then stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets, looking out over the desert.

“It’s amazing,” Kairi breathed.

Sora squeezed her fingers. He looked about to speak.

Then, out in the distant desert, there was a muffled explosion. Smoke loomed, dark against the rainbow sky.

“What is that?” Kairi marveled.

“Heartless,” Riku bit out.

“Let’s go,” Sora said. He had never let go of Kairi’s hand so it was an easy matter to leap off the wall and begin gliding towards the burst of darkness. He pressed his knee forward, streamlining his body for greater speed.

Kairi clung to his hand, her hair whipping in her face.

Riku surged ahead of them, his flight less controlled than Sora’s but certainly faster. Streaking high into the sky, Riku came down like a bullet, shattering the growing tower of Heartless.

Sora didn’t attack immediately. He set down a small distance from the Heartless and made sure Kairi was steady on her feet in the sand. “You ready?” he asked.

She summoned Destiny’s Embrace, feeling the warm weight and power in her hand. She nodded, throat too tight to speak.

In a shower of sparks, Sora took up his Oathkeeper and dove in after Riku.

Kairi kept to the outskirts where she wouldn’t be overwhelmed. She picked off weaker Heartless and ones that had decided to try to escape. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Sora and Riku fight. They darted in and out of the tower of Heartless like silver fish in dark water, releasing hearts in little bursts of pale pinkish light. Sora made a lot of noise as he fought, calling out the names of spells and issuing taunts. Riku was quieter, giving only grunts of exertion. Kairi knew she fell somewhere in the middle, making noises so they knew she was alright. It would be less distracting that way—to let them hear her rather than have them looking over at her.

Destiny’s Embrace cut down another Shadow and Kairi leaped back, narrowly avoiding a swipe that would have ripped open her leg. She landed heavily in the slippery sand and had just righted herself when she saw it. Where Sora and Riku fought, there was a sort of… tear? It looked like a rip in the fabric of the world, the kind of thing she saw only when they traveled by Gummi Ship. She peered at it, blocking rather than attacking. From inside that rip, Heartless poured out. Then, as suddenly as a star falling, the same rend opened beside her.

Kairi had a moment to scream.

Heartless gushed from the new tear like blood from a wound. This close, she could hear the sound of something else. It was a humming, like an engine, like a Gummi Ship. She slashed wildly at the rushing Heartless, but they clawed at her arms and legs. Something collided with the side of her head and Destiny’s Embrace wavered in her palm.

“Kairi!” Sora shouted.

Riku kicked off, streaking towards her like a rocket. His flightpath went wide and he wasn’t capable of the tiny corrections needed to land beside her. The gust of wind kicked up by his glide stirred her hair and ripped some Heartless away in a vortex. He landed hard yards from her, throwing up sand in an arc. A Heartless clawed the back of her knee and she went down with a yelp. Sora streaked towards her, his greater finesse allowing him to tune in on her even when she jumped aside to avoid another blow. He stretched out his hand, eyes tight and focused on her.

Kairi dropped her Keyblade and reached for him with both hands, tears pricking her eyes from pain and fear.

Then, from inside the rend, someone else reached out. Kairi had the impression of an insect, but it might have been the protective suit that gave her that fleeting thought. She saw her own face, reflected in the mirrored helmet that protected the wearer from the space between worlds. She threw herself from that stretching hand, reaching for Sora, but it was too late. More Heartless poured out. A massive Soldier landed a blow into Sora’s face that sent him reeling. He slashed at it, but didn’t land a killing blow. His face was streaked with blood, his blue eyes shining like the sea at high noon.

That was the last Kairi saw of him.

Someone reached through the void of space, grabbed her ankle, and dragged her away. Kicking and screaming, Kairi fought. Heartless poured over her, pounding her body as if she was underwater, drowning her and battering her against the stones. She was pulled through the rip and into a space that was beyond cold. The chill froze her lungs and throat, made her aware of the hot blood that streamed from the cuts on her body. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink, couldn’t move. She lay prone on the giant ship, eyes streaming as her kidnapper reached for her. Carelessly, she was slung over his shoulder.

Unable to turn her head or cry out, she only heard the tear close. The sound of battle fell away. The sound of her friends fighting vanished.

Heavy footsteps marked their descent into what Kairi assumed was a Gummi Ship. Three times, she thought she would pass out from lack of air or the cold, but she was able to watch the metallic surface pass with each step. Was she still breathing? Was she dead? She heard a hatch open and the kidnapper carelessly dropped her. Her body struck the floor hard, but the chill was gone and she could breathe again.

She gasped desperately for air, heaving and shaking in the sudden return of atmosphere. Above her, the hatch snapped closed. She tipped her head up and watched in horror as her kidnapper removed his shiny helmet to reveal only a man. He grinned down at her, showing crooked white teeth. He knelt down and grasped the end of the ocean-blue scarf Riku had bought her between his fingers.

“You’re a pretty one,” he said.

Kairi smacked his hand aside, surprised to find that she had the strength to do so. “My friends will come for me,” she snarled.

He stared at her for a moment. Then, with a wicked grin, he punched her in the face. Her teeth cut into her cheek, flooding her mouth with blood. Kairi dove at him from muscle memory alone, her months of training with Sora and Riku coming back. She reached for her Keyblade, but it didn’t come. Destiny’s Embrace was cut off from her. She stared at her empty hand, stricken.

The man laughed and his second blow took all the air from her lungs.

Kairi crumpled to the floor, her fingers twitching weakly. She could feel blood seeping from the many wounds inflicted by the Heartless. Slowly, she felt nothing at all as blackness consumed her. She might have called Sora’s name as her consciousness slipped away, but she couldn’t remember. She only hoped that she had called for him. At least then there would have been a reason for her kidnapper to bury his boot in her stomach just as her mind slipped away.

…

When Kairi woke again, she was in a small room, lying facedown with one arm twisted painfully underneath her torso. Though no longer lying on bare metal flooring, the plush carpet didn’t make her feel any better. Shakily, she began to sit up, but a light touch on her shoulder stilled her. She almost lashed out, but a sweet woman’s voice stopped her.

“Don’t,” the woman said softly. “You’re hurt badly. Don’t fight.”

“I have to sit up,” Kairi told her. She couldn’t bear lying like this, vulnerable.

“Okay, but slowly.” Gentle hands helped Kairi sit up and then supported her lightly.

Kairi took in the sight of the room. It reminded her a little of a hotel with a neatly-made bed, one dresser, and no other furniture. “Where am I?”

The woman was beautiful and fair with the palest eyes and skin Kairi had ever seen. She was draped in fine silks and wore many anklets. She lowered her eyes to the floor sorrowfully and murmured, “Somewhere no one will ever find you.”

Kairi staggered to her feet and paced the room, limping though the woman had bandaged her cut legs. Her shoes were gone and the floor was warm under her feet. She peeled back the curtains, but there was no window beyond them, only the illusion. “That’s not true,” she told the woman firmly. “My friends will come for me.”

She shook her head solemnly.

“You don’t know my friends,” Kairi told her. “They’ll come for me.”

There was a sharp rap on the door, the sound of a lock grinding, and then the door opened. It was the same man who stolen Kairi from Agrabah.

The woman shrank, bowing her head submissively. “Dom,” she said softly. “I tended her.”

“Good job,” he said dismissively. Then, he grinned at Kairi. “Come along. Your first client has arrived.”

“Client?” Kairi repeated, digging in her heels as he approached her.

The other woman scurried from the room, her jewels jingling. The door shut at her back and the lock engaged with a click.

Kairi turned her gaze to the man, Dom, and tried to keep her face hard. “What client? What is this place?”

He grinned. His teeth were very white and would have been pretty if not for how crooked they were. “Oh, my dear,” he said. “This is my brothel.”

Goosebumps broke out across Kairi’s stomach and arms. Again, she wished she had chosen pants instead of her dress—for all the good it would do when this man descended on her. She stepped back, fear lighting up in her chest though she tried her hardest to stamp it down. “You’d better not touch me. My friends will come for me,” she told him.

“Your friends?” he repeated. “Why do you think your friends will save you?”

Kairi’s legs bumped the bed as she backed away and she quickly walked around it, putting it between them as a meager barrier. “My friends are Key Bearers. They will come for me.”

Dom touched his lip thoughtfully. “The Key Bearer’s Whore? Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

Kairi bristled. “I’m not a whore.”

He circled the bed, boxing her into the wall. “They might be looking for you, but they’ll never find you.”

She pressed herself against it, heart pounding. She grasped uselessly for her Keyblade, lying on another world, unable to come to her. The fear swelled, choking her. She was truly helpless.

“This place is always moving,” he told her. “They can look in every single world and they’ll never find you because we’re never on one. We stay in the space between, land somewhere for a little while, take on clients, and then move to the next world. That way,” here, he grabbed between her legs and pawed at her roughly, “it doesn’t matter that I have the same girls. You’re still a fresh cunt on a totally new world.”

Rage spiked over the fear. How dare he touch her? Unarmed, without her friends or Keyblade, Kairi fought with all she had left. She kicked him as hard as she could in the crotch. He doubled over, yelping and clutching himself, and she ran for the door. It was locked though, even from the inside, even when she tried the lock. She jerked on it and then threw herself at it, but it didn’t budge. She cried out for help, but no one answered her call. When she looked back, Dom had risen to his feet and was watching her with narrowed eyes.

“You’ll pay for that, bitch.”

She lunged for the lamp that was on beside the bed, searching for any weapon she could lay her hands on. However, it was secured to the floor and didn’t budge. She pulled with all her strength to no avail. In that instant, Dom was on her. He slammed her facedown into the bed hard enough that her teeth snapped through her tongue and wrenched her hands behind her back. Her shoulders and wrists screamed in pain, to say nothing of the blood flooding her mouth. Kairi thrashed, but his weight pinned her to the mattress.

Then, she felt his erection against her back and froze.

Dom chuckled. “I always break in the new ones myself.”

A whimper crawled from Kairi’s throat. “Please,” she whispered. Blood dripped from her mouth onto the bedspread, rolled down her throat, choked her. “Please don’t. I’m… My friends will come.”

He ripped her panties, shredding them, and the blend of cotton and lace cut into her hips. “They won’t ever find you,” he snarled, hitching up her dress and clawing at her exposed skin.

Tears stung Kairi’s eyes and she squeezed them shut so he wouldn’t see her cry.

Dom fumbled between them and then he was ramming himself inside her. It wasn’t so much pain as chafing. She was dry and tight, her muscles trying to force him out, only making her tighter. Soon, her body had given in to protect itself. He was grunting, hips slapping into her backside, rutting like a hog. She tried to twist free, but he slapped her ass so hard that she felt a welt begin to form. After that, she lay still. He hated that even more and fisted a hand in her hair, jerking her head back painfully. A tear slipped down her cheek and he licked it away, chuckling.

Blood oozed from her mouth. He grabbed her chin, twisted her head around, and plowed his tongue inside. He chuckled, licking the injury. “So sweet.”

She snapped her teeth at him, but he must have known it was coming and avoided her deftly.

He thrust with particular brutality, prying a whine from her throat, and pulled her hair even harder. Grunting, gasping, he crushed her into the mattress as he came. She felt the heat and slickness dripping from inside as he pulled out. Revolted and throbbing, her legs couldn’t support her when he stepped away. She crumpled beside the bed, hugging her legs to her chest.

“How was your first client?” he asked with a mean laugh.

Kairi met his eyes steadily. “My friends will come for me.”

His heavy boot cracked something in her chest when he kicked her. Then, he kicked her in the head and her world went black again.

…

When Kairi woke next with a throbbing in her chest and head, she found that Dom had taken the remains of her clothes. The place between her legs was on fire. He must have had her again while she was unconscious. The pale woman had returned and was kneeling silently beside her, waiting for her to wake up. Kairi shakily righted herself and looked for anything to cover her nakedness. She didn’t want to pull the soiled sheets from the bed. She could see her own blood and his seed on them and shuddered.

“It gets easier,” the woman said softly. “You stop noticing after a while. You get used to it.”

“Get used to being raped?” Kairi repeated incredulously. Her tongue throbbed.

The woman looked at her from the corner of her pale watery eyes. “Some grow to enjoy it.”

Kairi shivered violently and staggered to her feet, covering herself with her hands. “My friends will come for me.”

“You should stop saying that,” she said softly. “Dom doesn’t like it.”

“I don’t care what he likes,” Kairi bit out, channeling Riku’s bravado.

She tried the door again, but it was still locked. The only other door in the room opened into an ensuite bathroom. She stepped inside and shut the door firmly behind herself. She started up the shower, turning the water as hot as she could bear. Only then, with the water drowning out her cries, did she allow herself to break down. She sobbed into her hands, casting what little magic she knew in the hopes of finding a way to fight. Without her Keyblade to support her, the faint Blizzard died in her palms. She wasn’t strong enough.

Once her tears dried, she quietly prayed that Sora and Riku would find her soon. How much of this could she take? She wasn’t strong, not like Riku, especially not like Sora. She didn’t have a boundless font of magic or power or even friendship to draw upon. This had been her first time off world. She sucked in a shaking breath and stepped out of the shower. She dried herself gently, wiping the blood and semen from between her thighs. She examined her tongue in the mirror, but the wound was relatively small for the amount of blood it had shed. It hardly hurt in the face of her aching core and what she suspected was a cracked rib and a concussion.

Wrapping herself in a towel, she stepped back into the room.

The woman was still there. She hadn’t even moved though she rose to her feet when Kairi emerged. “I’m to help you dress,” she said softly.

Despite herself, Kairi wanted clothes.

The pale woman held out a length of fine translucent fabric.

“That’s not clothes,” Kairi told her. “Where are my clothes?”

“Gone,” she said. “This is all you wear now.”

It wasn’t much better than a towel, but at least it was dry. Kairi let the woman dress her, winding the silk over her shoulders and around her hips.

“Here,” the woman said when she finished. “Jewelry.”

Kairi eyed the bracelets and anklets. “No thanks.”

“Please,” the woman protested.

Kairi turned her attention to the door again, trying the knob and putting her shoulder against it experimentally.

“He’ll beat me if you don’t wear them,” the woman said softly.

Kairi froze. “What?”

“He’ll flay all the skin from my back, whip me until I can’t stand, and then he’ll still force me to see clients,” the woman whispered. “Please, put them on.”

In the face of that, how could Kairi protest? She allowed the bracelets and anklets to be clasped and then shook her hands. She wouldn’t be able to sneak anywhere like this, if she could even find a way out of this blasted room. She couldn’t help but notice that she hadn’t been given any undergarments, neither panties nor a bra. She fought a shiver of revulsion.

Sora and Riku would come for her.

“Thank you,” the woman whispered.

“Sure,” Kairi said and turned her attention away from the door. She probably needed to give it time, wait until Dom dropped his guard a little. Then, with any luck, she could make her escape. “So, what’s your name?” she asked the pale woman conversationally as she peeled the soiled sheets off the bed. “I’m Kairi.”

“Eilonwy (1),” she admitted quietly.

“How long have you been here, Eilonwy?” Kairi asked and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Pain lanced through her middle.

Eilonwy glanced at her, tucking a tendril of pale hair behind her ear. “Sixteen years.”

…

The silence began to drive Kairi mad first. In the void between worlds, there was no sound save the faint humming engine of the Gummi Ship. She couldn’t even look out the window, since the curtains were there only for decoration. There were no birds singing, no ambient chatter, nothing to give her any sense of the passage of time. There was only silence.

Silence and the times that Eilonwy brought her food. The meals were scarce. Apparently, Kairi had the kind of body that Dom had decided would draw the most coin if she was kept thin and childlike. Kairi let the affront to her figure slide, but realized soon after that a side effect of such small meals was not only a shrinking waist, but a lack of energy. She began to fear that even if she found a chance to escape, she wouldn’t have the strength too.

Silence, food, and the times that Dom came to break her in. He came as irregularly as her meals. Each time, he pounded her carelessly into the mattress until she thought her insides would wind up on the outside. Then, he would slap her—often lightly and for nothing, other times hard enough to leave bruises. The beatings were the worst when she told him her friends were coming.

Silence, food, Dom, and the thought of Sora and Riku coming for her. Kairi couldn’t give up the thought of rescue no matter how many times Dom struck her. She knew Sora and Riku were looking for her. She just knew it. Besides, if she gave up the thoughts of them, what would she have left? Only silence, food, and Dom.

That couldn’t happen. She had to keep her mind strong. He could have all he wanted of her body, but he could never take away her mind or her spirit. She knew Sora and Riku were searching for her. She knew they would come, if only she managed to survive that long. She hummed to fight the silence, she ate all that she was given, and she didn’t fight Dom when he came.

…

Dom came to see her at what felt like an ungodly hour of the night. Kairi was exhausted, starving, and driven so mad by the silence that she was almost pleased to see him. That thought—that spike of eagerness to see a human face, hear a human voice, even Dom’s—chilled her to the very core. She no longer felt pain when he took her. She was used to it.

“Hello Kai,” he greeted.

Her skin prickled, the memory of Sora’s voice dancing over her skin. She would have given anything to see him, talk to him, get out of this hellish place and back with him. “Don’t call me that,” she bit out at Dom. Her voice was rough and dry from disuse. When had she stopped humming to herself to keep from going mad?

Dom grabbed a fistful of her red hair. It was so long, falling nearly to her waist.

It was the first time Kairi had noticed. How long had she been here?

Dom slapped her face with an open palm, leaving a sting but no real pain. “I’ll call you whatever I like,” he told her. “You’d do best to please me. If you do, I’ll let you out of solitary.”

“Solitary?” Kairi repeated, tasting the word. She thought of the silence.

Dom loosened his grip on her hair, drawing it through his fingers. “Yes, but only if you please me.”

Kairi eyed him with suspicion.

He pulled out his erection and waggled it at her. “Please me, Kai.”

She backed away, disgusted.

When he struck her this time, it was with intent to harm. Her cheek was cut against her teeth and she tasted blood. He threw her to her knees and plowed into her mouth, strangling her with his shaft. She fought, beating weakly on his thighs, gasping little pants of air that stank of unwashed skin. When he finished into her heaving throat, he didn’t let her pull away to breathe. He drew back enough to make her taste it while she swallowed. Then, once he was satisfied, he threw her to the floor.

Kairi curled on herself, clutching her battered throat, wheezing for breath. She glowered up at him.

“Not yet then,” he said haughtily.

“My friends—” Kairi didn’t get to finish.

He kicked her in the stomach and she tasted his seed coming back up as she retched.

“Whenever you’d like to please me,” he said to her. “You can get out of this little cell and in with the others. I let all my girls live together, you know. I’m not a complete monster.”

The door shut behind him and clicked as it locked.

Kairi used a towel to clean up the mess she had made. She didn’t look at her bloodshot eyes in the mirror, but she did look at her long, long hair. How long had she been here? Where were Sora and Riku? They were looking for her, she just knew it, but… where were they? What was taking so long? They had to find her before she… gave in.

…

Silence took everything. Even when Eilonwy brought food, she didn’t speak to Kairi. Though Kairi clung desperately to her skirts and pleaded, the pale woman dropped off her meals and fled. Even Dom had stopped speaking to her when he came to rape her. He forced her face down or on her hands and knees or on her back. He rutted into her, barely grunting and certainly not speaking. Silence consumed her.

Kairi no longer tasted food, she only tasted madness.

When Dom came again, Kairi threw herself at him the way she had clutched at Eilonwy. She fished his erection from his trousers and dove onto him. She had no idea what she was doing, but she did all that she could think of. She licked and sucked and scraped her teeth and rubbed and pulled until he came. She even swallowed it. When she finished, she looked up at Dom desperately.

Without a word, he left her again to the silence.

Kairi threw herself at the door and screamed. She beat her fists on the barrier until her knuckles bled, but didn’t even have the satisfaction of bringing anyone to her door. No one even told her to shut up. All she could hear was her own raspy breathing and the whine of the Gummi Ship’s engines.

Eilonwy brought food and ran.

Kairi didn’t eat it. Her throat was raw from screaming and sucking.

Dom returned. He stood, watching her for a long moment but she didn’t get up to service him again. He took her on the floor, bending her leg painfully up over his shoulder so as to reach her deepest parts. There wasn’t much pain anymore, not after being used so much. It hurt her back where the carpet rubbed more so than where he rutted into her. Dom left again.

Silence.

Meal.

Silence.

Dom.

Silence.

Meal. Again, she begged Eilonwy to speak to her, but the woman fled and the door locked. Kairi’s hands were still raw from beating on it. She didn’t do so again.

When Dom came again, Kairi dragged herself to her feet and dropped to her knees before him. She didn't grasp onto him desperately like she had before. Instead, she slowly wrapped her mouth around him and set to work with the air of someone going to the gallows. She licked and sucked, stroked and gripped. He dug his hands into her hair and bobbed her on his erection. He was almost gentle, guiding her until she swallowed him to the root. She gagged, but took him as deep as he wished. When he finished, streaming down her throat, she swallowed everything. She licked her lips and looked up at him through her lashes.

Dom smiled, a little twist of his lips that showed his crooked white teeth. He patted the top of her head and spoke the first words that Kairi had heard in what felt like years, “Good girl.”

Her hollow chest jumped. Despite everything, despite being naked under her silk wrappings, she was pleased.

She was pleased that he was pleased. She was pleased that she had pleased him.

Horror bubbled up inside her.

“Do you want to join the other girls?” Dom asked.

The horror dropped away. Instead, she nodded eagerly.

Dom patted her face firmly, just this side of a slap. “Maybe next time.”

Kairi's throat closed. “No,” she begged.

Dom did slap her then—a hard crack that rattled the inside of Kairi's skull. He zipped up his trousers and stepped out of the room, shutting the door in her face. The lock clicked. Kairi leaned against the door, digging her forehead into the ridges. To console herself, she hummed a mindless tune.

She didn't think of Riku or Sora.

…

Kairi didn't know how much time had passed. She counted her meals, the long silences, and the times she swallowed Dom's semen. She had eaten twenty-seven out of thirty meals and she had sucked Dom off forty-one times. Dom had been speaking to her a little more each time. Even Eilonwy had spoken to her briefly when she brought each meal.

Finally, when she finished Dom and was licking her lips, he said, “Are you ready to join the other girls?”

Kairi nodded.

Dom touched her face gently.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into the touch before she caught herself. How long had she been here?

Dom opened the door and stood outside it, beckoning her. “Come on.”

Kairi pulled herself to her feet, knees aching, and followed him. The halls of the Gummi Ship were sterile and metallic. Dom's footsteps echoed but Kairi's bare feet made no sound at all. Her bracelets and anklets jingling merrily like she wasn't naked under silk scarves. Dom brought her to a set of double doors and opened one.

Inside was something like a small apartment. There was a kitchenette though there was a chain across the fridge doors. A long round table was crowded with mismatched chairs. Something resembling a living room or dormitory was overflowing with soft couches, stuffed chairs, pillows, and countless blankets. All throughout the room, about twenty girls lounged or loitered. When they saw Dom, they shrank as one. They pressed into each other, seeking comfort or shelter.

Eilonwy stood at the forefront, her head downturned. Kairi had never realized that she was the oldest.

Some of the girls were even younger that Kairi was.

“Hello girls,” Dom greeted. “How are you all today?”

“Good, thank you,” Eilonwy murmured.

“This is Kairi,” Dom told them loftily. “Be kind to her. You're all in this together.” He nudged Kairi into the room, his hand firm against the small of her back. “We'll be docking on a new world tomorrow so everyone needs to be ready to receive clients.”

Kairi shuddered.

Dom's fingers dug into her back. “Nervous for your first performance, Kai? I can send you back to your room if you're not ready.”

“No,” Kairi whispered. “No, I'm ready.”

Dom slapped her ass. “Fantastic.” Then, he left them and the door locked firmly.

“Welcome Kairi,” Eilonwy said softly.

Kairi could have sobbed. People—she was with people again. She hadn't realized how much she had missed being with people. Her loneliness was a disease, eating her alive from the inside out.

Eilonwy gingerly took a lock of Kairi's long hair. It fell nearly to her knees. “Let's get you cleaned up.”

Tears pricked Kairi's eyes.

Each girl introduced themselves to Kairi and brought her into the fold. They all slept together in the mess of furniture, blankets, and pillows. While the rooms for serving customers were heated, apparently the rest of the Gummi Ship was not. They huddled together for warmth at night.

Eilonwy had Kairi sit in the bathroom and began to trim her long hair. “How short would you like it?”

Kairi caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. “To here,” she murmured and gestured to the length of her shoulders.

Eilonwy nodded. Slowly, the ropes of blood-red hair fell away until Kairi was able to see something of the old her. For the first time in what felt like years, she tried to summon her Keyblade. There was nothing, not even a tingle. When she tried magic, there was no response at all.

“What are you thinking?” Eilonwy asked, watching Kairi staring at her hands.

“Nothing,” Kairi whispered. “Nothing.”

…

Kairi hadn't missed her period. She figured it didn't show its face because she was starved and traumatized. However, she began to realize that her abdomen had swelled. There was a hard little bump under her skin. She rested her hand on it and knew. She was pregnant. In her scant wrappings of silk and satin, there was no hiding the growing bulge.

Eilonwy looked at her with sorrow.

It took another week for Dom to notice, as he no longer raped Kairi daily like he once had. Once he did, he let out a slow breath and said, “It's time.”

“Will you kill me?” Kairi asked.

Dom chuckled and grasped her upper arm, leading her through the Gummi Ship. “Oh, Kai,” he said. “The Key Wielder's Whore is going to become my top girl. I would never kill you.”

He ushered Kairi into a little room and guided her to lie on a flat steel table. He strapped down her arms, legs, and hips. Then, he peeled the silk away from her belly, exposing the little bump. He rested his hand on it, pressing firmly until Kairi felt nauseous from the weight. She didn't dare speak.

With a sigh, Dom cupped his palms and began to chant quietly. Kairi remembered the feeling of magic. She recognized the dark magic flowing out from Dom. It was like the rift he had torn open to steal her from Sora and Riku. Helpless in her chains, she thrashed as hard as she could.

“No, no, please!” she begged. “Don't!”

Dom placed the darkness over her belly.

There was a searing pain in her stomach, a roaring cramp that crawled up her spine and into her skull. Her back arched wildly and she screamed. Dom dug his fingers into her stomach, carving out a swirling shape low on her pelvis. The pain increased, gouging deep into her soul. She couldn't stop screaming.

After a long moment, Dom took his hands away, but the pain did not cease. He stood aside and stared down at her, thrashing on the table. He clasped his hand over her mouth and nose, smothering her until her vision began to darken at the corners. She stared up at him, tears streaming down her face.

Dom withdrew his hand, studying her.

She curled her head to the side, sobbing. “What did you do to me?”

“Don't worry, Kai. I stopped it from happening again.”

“Stopped it?” she whispered. The space between her legs flushed with warm wetness. She heard something drip over the edge of the table. Throbbing and trembling, she craned her head to look and saw that her lower half was awash with blood. “What... did you do to me?”

Dom stroked her hair back from her forehead. “I do it to all my girls,” he said. “It's perfectly safe. The black magic is destroying your womb and nothing else.”

Kairi sobbed, straining against her bonds. “No, please.”

He patted her cheek. “It's already done. It's over, Kai.”

She whimpered, thrashing. “Please.”

“You'll bleed for a few more hours,” he said soothingly. “I'll come get you when you're finished and then you'll have a few days off before we get to Port Royal.” He dipped down and pressed a little kiss to her cheek. “You won't have to worry about pregnancy ever again. It's all over.” His footsteps echoed as he walked away.

Once the door clicked shut, Kairi sobbed until her voice gave out. She squirmed on the table, but the restraints didn't budge. They cut into her wrists and ankles. She thought about chafing her wrist until the skin was torn open. Would she bleed to death here, on this table, alone and empty? She listened to the sound of her blood running over the edge of the table and pattering on the floor. She felt it—the little life bleeding out of her.

…

The first time they docked, Kairi rose to attention. She stood, poised, waiting.

“Don’t,” Eilonwy begged. “Please don’t.”

Kairi ignored her.

Dom came to fetch them. He always took them into individual rooms, identical to the cell that Kairi had been in for a small eternity. Once they were there, he would bring clients to them individually. When the clients finished, Dom brought them back to their shared space one-by-one. Or so Kairi had been told by Eilonwy. She had never serviced a client before and she had no intention of doing so now.

She would make her escape—or die trying.

“Please don’t,” Eilonwy said again.

The lock tumbled and Dom opened the door, his crooked smile so bright.

Kairi threw her full weight into him and the door. The edge bounced off his head and he tumbled back with a grunt. She leaped over him and took off running. She ran for all she was worth, pell-mell, down the winding metal hallways. It all looked the same and she had no idea where she was running to. Faintly, she heard the chatter of voices and ran in that direction instead.

She hadn’t run for thirty seconds but she could already feel her legs weakening. Her chest jumped and shivered, a stitch formed in her side, and her thighs quivered. She knew she was too weak, too starved, had lost too much blood from the dark magic that had eaten up her womb and baby. However, desperation made her foolish and strong.

She crashed through an ornate set of double doors and into a sort of lobby where countless men and women stood waiting to be served. They all stared at her in surprise. She wondered what she looked like—a waif, a ghost risen from the grave, a foolish girl, a slave? Beyond them, she saw sunlight and bolted for it. Inches from the light, Dom’s pounding footsteps caught her. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and jerked her off her feet.

Kairi screamed, pain and fear mingling.

Dom clasped a hand over her mouth, digging into her face.

She couldn’t breathe. She struggled, hanging from his grasp like a fish on a line.

“Well, that was exciting, wasn’t it?” he called to his customers.

They chuckled politely, watching the display with interest.

“Since she’s so eager, I’d like to reward her. It’s her first time serving you. As a reward for her eagerness, I’d like to offer Kai to you all. Anyone who would like to use her may do so, free of charge. She’ll be waiting for you all. And, as you can see,” he tore the scraps of silk from her body and hitched her knee over his elbow, spreading every inch of her body for them to see, “she’s quite the catch.”

Kairi sobbed into his hand, her eyes trained on the distant sunlight. She could see tall spires and thorns beyond. Was this Sleeping Beauty’s world? Sora and Riku had mentioned taking her to meet a Princess of Heart there. It seemed unfair that she would visit like this. She squirmed against Dom.

He grabbed her breast, hard, digging his nails into her flesh. “Nice try,” he said into her ear as he dragged her from the lobby. “However, you’ll find that the punishment for escape attempts isn’t worth the consequences. They will all have you now as many times as they want. I won’t protect you either. Usually, I have rules about damage and lubrication, but none of those will apply to you now.” He dragged her down the hallways, carrying her bodily. “You’ll be lucky to walk for the next week when they’re finished with you.”

Kairi stopped crying. Her tears dried from fear. “My friends,” she whispered.

Dom opened a door to a little hotel-like room and hurled her inside.

She landed on her knees, the carpet shredding her flesh.

“They wouldn’t want the whore you’ve become,” Dom snarled and slammed the door.

Kairi didn’t try the knob or pull back the curtains in search of escape. She knew there was none.

A moment later, the door opened and a man entered. He was tall and thin. He smiled at her, but his appearance belied more cruelty than Dom’s. He slammed her into the floor and rutted into her without mercy. Her skin scraped and chafed, burning raw on the carpet. When he finished, he left without a word. The door closed, then immediately opened before Kairi could even get to her feet.

The second man dragged her by the hair into the shower. He had her under the scalding water, holding her legs high and apart so that the searing water ran all over her aching skin and opened core. Then, he mashed her face into the wall and angled the showerhead into her face. Half-drowned, she could barely breathe as he ravaged her. He left just as quickly, leaving her on the floor. It was all Kairi could do to turn the water temperature down.

The third man had her on the bed, the fourth on the floor, the fifth on the bed as well. The sixth was a woman. She took her time with Kairi, working her sex open until she could fit her fist inside. Kairi screamed when she opened her fingers, scraping Kairi’s raw insides with her manicured nails. Then, she rode Kairi’s face as she screamed.

The seventh was a man. Displeased with Kairi’s loosened cunt, he pawed open her rear and forced himself inside. Kairi shrieked, mindless animal sounds of pain and disgust. He chuckled into her ear while he raped her, biting and sucking along her neck until even that flesh was bruised. After that, Kairi lost track.

Dom came for her, but it must have been days later. She was starving, too weak to even stand, too weak to clean herself of the countless uses her body had endured. Dom dragged her into the shower and threw her beneath the cold water until the filth had sluiced from her skin. Kairi lay there, too weak to even shiver.

“Have you learned?” Dom asked.

Kairi didn’t nod.

Dom bent her over the vanity and rutted into her ass, moaning until he came. The salt burned her scrapes and injuries.

Again, Kairi felt dark magic inside her and the pain of torn organs ebbed. She wondered if this second bout of his dark magic had left a mark on her body. Low on her abdomen, where her womb had once been, there was merely a swirl of ornate ink. It looked like a tattoo. It might have been pretty, the swirl of dark on her milky skin, if it wasn’t for the meaning behind it. Was there one on her buttocks to match now?

He tugged her head back by the hair, hissing as he studied the bruises and bites along her throat. “Have you learned?”

“Yes,” Kairi croaked.

Dom slapped her face, open-palmed. “Good girl, Kai.” He brought her back to the others after that—not because he was kind, but because he wanted them to see the result of an escape attempt.

Kairi curled on the floor, naked, battered, weeping silently.

Eilonwy kept the other girls away and brought a soft blanket to cover her. “I told you,” she whispered and helped Kairi drink some water. “I asked you not to.”

“Eilonwy,” Kairi whispered. “Did you…?”

Eilonwy nodded solemnly. “No one escapes from here. You’ll stay until your body isn’t worth anything anymore. Then, he’ll throw you into the space between worlds.”

Kairi shuddered. Maybe Eilonwy was right, maybe Dom was right—maybe no one would be able to come for her.

…

The room they shared was always ice-cold at night. The plush cushions and soft blankets did little to keep the cold at bay. Beyond the room, it was silent save the faint hum of the Gummi Ship's engine. The silence had once driven Kairi mad, but now that she was out of her little cell, she was always with the other girls. They made all manner of sounds at night. Some snored, others whimpered, a few cried. Most, like Kairi, lay quietly for a long time, unable to sleep. She shivered faintly beneath the coverlet. Someone pressed tighter against her back, shivering as well. Kairi rolled over and tugged one of the younger girls against her, sharing their meager body heat.

The girl trembled all over, teeth chattering.

“What's wrong?” Kairi asked.

“When can we eat?” she whispered.

Kairi cradled the little girl to her chest, pressing her against the bones of her frame. That was answer enough. The girl began to sob in earnest, pressing her face into her hands and burying herself against Kairi's neck. Behind her, Eilonwy moved closer and draped her arms over both of them.

Kairi felt them both fall asleep, Eilonwy with an ease she envied and the girl from exhaustion. She untangled herself from them and carefully got up, stepping over the other girls. She padded into the large bathroom and halfheartedly tried to clean the mess between her legs. They had stopped in Arendelle to service clients and now floated in the space between once again. However, cleaning herself was a losing battle. She gave up, cupped her hands beneath the faucet, took a drink, and returned to her place, drifting into a restless sleep.

She dreamed of an island with a beautiful sunset and a crooked palm. She dreamed of handsome boys.

When she woke in the morning to Eilonwy climbing over her, she had forgotten all about her dreams. She fell into the routine, helping prepare a light breakfast and washing their clothing. Eilonwy watched her softly, those pale eyes like mirrors. Kairi saw herself reflected in them, washed out, void of all color and hope. Only her red hair stood out anymore, a shade of blood against her sun-starved skin and haunted blue-grey eyes. She looked away.

…

They landed in Port Royal. No matter how many times Kairi felt the brothel ship dock, she would never get used to the sudden lurch that twisted her stomach and pulled deep in her belly. Something like fear always touched her, followed by revulsion and exhaustion. It was the same every time.

Eilonwy looked at her sideways, always worried that Kairi would try to escape again.

Kairi didn’t tell Eilonwy that she had no intention of trying it again. She was too weak. She couldn’t fight, not without her Keyblade, not without magic, not without proper food and clothes. Without shoes, how could she even run?

No, she knew she couldn’t escape. In the pit of her hollow stomach, she carried a tiny flickering hope. A single light that she fed so that it wouldn’t go out. It was the size of a match, just the distant hope that her friends were searching for her. She knew they wouldn’t find her—maybe a part of her even hoped that they would never see her like this, hoped they would never find her. But the thought that they were looking, that they cared about her, kindled deep in her chest.

Kairi serviced stinking sailors and well-coiffed military men. It was habit now. She moved her body through the motions and positions—on her knees, on her back, on her knees and hands, use her mouth, use her hips, use her hands, cry if that’s what they wanted, scream if they asked, beg if they demanded it, call them ‘sir’ or ‘daddy’ in a small voice. She did it all.

She had lost track of how long she had been doing it.

Was it days, months, or years? It felt like centuries. She would rot here, trapped and used. Her memories—the sensation of hot sand and spicy foods, the sight of blue eyes and sunsets, the feeling of flying and fighting—all felt like dreams…

XXX

(1) Eilonwy is the princess from the Black Cauldron, which no one but me actually liked.

A few things I realized in rereading and rewriting this… As all new authors tend to do, I think the old chapter was very much ‘telling.’ I feel that I definitely ‘showed’ more on this go around.

I think I used to rely on the content of my ‘horrifying experiences’ to make an impact rather than the way I had written it. In the original chapter one, I described Kairi’s experiences of graphic rape and graphic beatings in detail and chose that as my medium to display how much Kairi’s time sucked. On this rewrite, I noticed that I didn’t really need the graphic abuse to get my point across. Little things, like the limited meals and silence, felt more meaningful and horrifying to me.

I did make more changes to my villain this time. I switched his name from Dominic to just Dom, which I chose as a pun on Dom and Sub dynamics. I also gave him dark magic to make him a little more of a threat in later chapters. [The addition of dark magic also removed the ‘stabbing injury’ that took away Kairi’s ability to have children, which makes a little more sense too.]

Questions, comments, concerns?


	2. Any Port in a Storm

Look for updates to this story every Monday. I have actually completed the rewrite up to Chapter Fourteen out of Fifteen, but I will be doing a second heavy edit all week before posting each chapter. Please leave me some constructive criticism. I’ll take it into account as I edit.

XXX

The chattering crowd that entered the lobby when they docked in Port Royal was frankly massive. Dom worried that he wouldn’t even have enough girls for the mob that had developed. He didn’t like to give any of his clients their sloppy seconds. Maybe today he would have to enforce a condom rule so that no one left with a bad memory or foul taste.

“What’s going on in Port Royal?” Dom asked the first man to check in.

“You didn’t hear?” the colonel asked, resting a hand on the pommel of his sword. He was well-dressed, as though part of a ceremony.

Dom took his munny. “No. What’s going on?”

“The Keyblade Wielders are in town, looking for some friend of theirs that’s been missing,” he explained, absently accepting his change.

Dom’s hand stilled before he resumed marking his ledger. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” the colonel continued. “Some girl that they lost. They have no idea where she is and they’ve been looking for a while. They were here just a month ago, looking, and didn’t find anything.”

“Any preference today?” Dom asked, changing the subject. He looked over the well-dressed colonel critically, feeling him out. “You’ll have to check that sword before you go in,” he told him.

“Sure,” the colonel agreed. He pulled the sharp blade a little way from the sheathe and then began unfastening it.

The Keyblade Wielders would never find Kairi. Dom was certain of that. His ship was too well-hidden, moved too much, and you had to know someone who knew someone to find out Dom’s schedule and where he was docked. The Keyblade Wielders wouldn’t know anyone to get them in here, not if they were the goody-goodies that everyone claimed they were.

The colonel thought a moment, tapping his freed sword against his thigh. “I hear the Keyblader’s girl has red hair. Do you have any redheads?”

Dom smiled and checked the blade in. “I have one.”

…

While docked in Port Royal, Kairi saw more clients than usual. She was exhausted and sore after the day she had. She nursed a split lip where one John had struck her when she moaned the wrong way. One man, a colonel in the navy, had even called her the Keyblader’s whore. She didn’t know why or how he had known how close to the truth he really was. For the first time in a long while, she found herself thinking of Sora and Riku. Were they still looking for her? She had to believe they were. In fact, she was almost certain they were. Sora would never give up, but it had been so long… hadn’t it?

“Eilonwy?” Kairi asked when she returned to their living space, fresh from a shower and with an ice cube for her bloody mouth. “Do you know how long I’ve been here?”

Eilonwy thought for a moment. Her pale hair had been yanked, tugged, and hideously tangled. She spent the better part of twenty minutes combing it out and now sat delicately on a pillow, braiding her pale hair over her shoulder. “I think it’s been longer than a year, maybe two,” she murmured thoughtfully.

Kairi’s knees went weak. “So long?”

Eilonwy got to her feet, guided Kairi to sit beside her, and began to run her fingers through Kairi’s hair, untangling it gingerly. “Don’t worry. You have plenty of good years left before Dom gets rid of you,” she said soothingly. She began to work the comb through Kairi’s knotted red tresses. “You were his most popular girl today.”

Kairi nodded numbly, unable to feel the tugs of the comb or even the pulse in her bleeding lip. 

Eilonwy’s hands stilled. “Do you… still think your friends are coming?”

Kairi wet her lips and winced. The pain pulled her back to the present. She mulled the years that had passed since she had been stolen from them in Agrabah. The time sowed seeds of doubt, clutching dark fingers around the little match in her heart. “I’m sure they’re still searching,” she found herself saying, “but I don’t think they’ll ever find me here.”

Eilonwy nodded thoughtfully, finished braiding Kairi’s hair, and walked away.

…

The next morning, the lobby was no less busy for it being the second day in Port Royal. Those military types were greedy, especially in such a stiff-laced Victorian era. Dom delighted, counting out his munny and girls with relish. Then, a pair of young men approached the counter, hooded and cloaked. They didn’t fit the aesthetic and Dom scrutinized them. However, one slid a few coins across the counter and Dom saw that there was plenty more where that come from.

“Welcome,” Dom greeted.

“Do you have any redheads?” the first asked without preamble.

Though that wasn’t an unusual question, Dom didn’t like that he couldn’t see the stranger’s face. “Remove your hood, please.”

The young man did so without protest. He was handsome, unlike the types that usually visited Dom’s brothel, with fine features and white unmarred skin. He had silvery hair and jade eyes, giving him an appearance that Dom would have killed to have in one of his girls. Wasn’t one of the Keyblade Wielder’s silver-haired?

A knot of unease took up root in Dom’s stomach. “Unfortunately,” Dom told him. “I do not. Could I interest you in a blond or a brunette maybe? I have Asians too.”

The second hooded figure pressed his hand on the counter. His knuckles were marked with fighting scars and calluses.

“Sorry,” the first said firmly. “We have a very specific fetish. We’re willing to pay, but I’d need to see any redheads you have first. Then, we’ll choose one to share.”

Dom eyed at the young man’s bulging pouch and knew he wasn’t lying. He relented, “I do have one.”

“Good,” the first said. “Bring her. If she suits us, we will pay double to share her.”

“Wait here, please,” Dom said. He left the lobby hastily and let himself into the girl’s quarters without knocking.

Eilonwy was applying makeup—lipstick and healthy-looking blush—to everyone’s cheeks. She startled when Dom entered, pale eyes wide.

“Kai,” Dom called. “Some high rollers want to look at you before they buy.”

Kairi’s makeup had already been done and she was dressed in blood-red silk that matched her silky braided hair. She didn’t protest—she knew better.

Dom grasped her upper arm, just in case she thought of running when she saw them, and led her through the hallways. The crowd in the lobby parted when they entered, but oogled her. They jockeyed for a better view, whispering and checking their wallets. This was a good way to stir up custom, Dom thought, maybe he should do this more often. Kairi’s bracelets jingled softly as she moved, but she kept her eyes down.

The two young men were still standing at the counter where Dom had left them. The first still had his hood lowered, jade eyes alert and bright, while the second still had his hood drawn up and his back to them. Dom stopped leading Kairi, giving her arm a painful squeeze before loosening his grip as a warning.

Kairi lifted her face, letting them see her. When her gaze fell on them, her breath hitched.

The silver-haired man’s eyes glittered, like he might start crying—or was that hunger and greed?

Unsettled, Dom tightened his grip on Kairi. “This is my only redhead,” he said loudly.

Kairi stiffened under his fingers, her entire body going cold. He felt her break out in goosebumps even as a cold sweat glistened along her neck.

The second young man, hooded and cloaked, turned to face them.

The first was still staring at Kairi. Was that relief that Dom saw in his face? Then, all emotion disappeared behind a wave of fear.

“Sora!” the first youth shouted and lunged for the second. “No!”

The hooded youth exploded from his position. The cloak dropped from him and he moved so quickly that the black fabric hung there a moment, invisibly suspended. By the time it hit the floor, Sora was already on Dom. There was a flair of light and his Keyblade appeared. It was dark and strong, Oblivion, and landed hard on the side of Dom’s head. His grip on Kairi dragged her down with him. She yelped when she landed, the slips of silk giving her no protection from the hard floor.

Riku dove into the fray. He threw himself at Sora, locked his arms around his friend’s waist, and dragged him backwards. “Sora, no!”

Sora’s voice was a snarl, low and hoarse. “You… you hurt her! You took her!”

In an explosion of flight, Riku hurled them both away from Dom and Kairi. They landed hard—Sora thrashing to get free and attack, Riku winded underneath him, struggling to hold on.

The clients scattered like roaches, some screaming to escape the frenzy.

Kairi wrest away from Dom and scrambled to her feet, stricken.

“Sora! Stop!” Riku shouted again. He had gotten to his feet, keeping Sora pinned to his chest with all his strength. The muscles in his forearms strained.

Wriggling, Sora planted his foot against Riku’s upper thigh and kicked off. Riku was left grasping air. Sora closed the space between himself and Dom in an instant, bring his Keyblade hard under Dom’s chin. There was a puff of black magic and Dom managed to restrain the powerful Keyblade just enough to prevent it from breaking his jaw. Dom’s eyes were wide and frightened, shocked at this turn of events he had never thought would happen.

Riku slammed into Sora from the side, taking them both down. They slid and Sora’s head collided with the wall. There was a sickening crack and a spot of bright crimson bloomed against the white wall and floor. His blue eyes rolled back, unconscious from the blow. Riku shakily got to his feet and gathered Sora in his arms. He carried him briskly and set him at Kairi’s feet like an offering.

She could only stare in horror at the phantoms of the friends she remembered. Her eyes darted to Dom as he struggled to summon another spell. The shield of black magic had taken a lot out of him, especially to block an attack like that, and his next spell would be half as powerful. He used his magic only to snatch and cripple girls. He was no fighter, not really.

In the moment she had looked away, Sora roused with a snap. He lashed out wildly, swinging his Keyblade one-handed. He caught Riku in the stomach and sent him flying with a gasp. He staggered to his feet, one hand pressed to his bloody head. He swayed, dizzy, but the injury did nothing to stop his rage. Sharply, his gaze found Dom and he swooped like a falcon sighting prey.

“Sora!” Riku shouted, his voice high with panic. “No! Don’t you kill him!”

The words—the command, the plea—went through Kairi like a blade. Riku’s fear made her cold all over. She could only watch as Sora descended on Dom.

True fear lanced through Dom’s face. He threw up his shield again, using both hands to hold it.

Sora rained one blow, then another, against Dom’s dark shield. It cracked a little more each time. It wouldn’t last long.

Sora wouldn’t kill him, would he? Sora fought Heartless. Sora didn’t kill people.

Did he?

How much time had passed?

The shield cracked and crumbled.

“Please—” came Dom’s voice. “Don’t—”

The Keyblade landed with a crunch on Dom’s raised arm and then into his face.

Riku barreled, the wind of his movement sucking Kairi’s hair into her face. He grabbed Sora around the waist and threw him down hard on the cold floor. Sora’s Keyblade spun from his hand, coming to rest near Kairi’s feet. Dom’s blood was splattered all over it. Riku pinned Sora underneath him and used his size to his advantage.

“Let me go!” Sora snarled, howling. He thrashed, kicking his legs and straining against Riku’s hold.

Kairi’s legs buckled underneath her and she slid to her knees, trembling all over, shuddering.

Riku glanced at her, his eyes the color of grass that she hadn’t seen in so long. “Kairi,” he breathed out and then called a little more loudly, “Are you alright?”

Sora continued to thrash and howl.

Kairi couldn’t find her voice to speak. Part of her wanted to run back to the room she shared with the girls, the other part of her wanted to run to Sora, a tiny shard wanted to run to Dom. He would be so angry at her after this. What would he do to her? Fear lodged in her throat.

“Kairi?” Riku repeated.

Sora began to calm, his straining limbs sinking to the floor. His chest heaved as he caught his breath. Softly, he insisted to Riku, “He hurt her. He took her.”

“I know,” Riku said to him. “But we’re here now. It’s okay.”

Only when Sora lay completely still, his chest rising and falling with even breaths instead of gasps, did Riku allow him to get up. He kept a firm hold on Sora’s elbow. Oblivion disappeared back into Sora in a riot of sparks.

Dom lay unconscious or dead, fallen where Sora had struck him.

Riku paced to Kairi, towing Sora, and made him sit beside her on the floor. “Kairi, are you okay?”

She couldn’t speak, especially when Riku took her hand. His skin was warm and real. He was real. She glanced at Sora, drinking in the color of his eyes. They were real, they had come for her. She nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks. Riku shrugged out of his black cloak and draped it around her shoulders. The material was warm from his body.

“Stay here,” Riku told them both. “I have to make some calls.”

Sora sat beside Kairi, heat rolling off him in waves, without speaking.

She didn’t know what to say to him either.

Together, they watched as the police arrived and began to sort through the mess of kidnapped girls. Dom was rolled away by paramedics, but not in a body bag. He must have still been alive. A little bubble of relief mixed with Kairi’s disappointment. The man who had maimed and raped her was still alive, but Sora hadn’t killed him.

Eilonwy and the other girls were ushered down from upstairs. They would be returned to those that loved them, wherever they were.

Eilonwy rushed to Kairi, hugging her tightly. “You were right,” she sobbed. “They came for you.”

Kairi could only nod, unable to speak as Eilonwy kissed her cheek. It didn’t occur to her that she would probably never see Eilonwy again.

Soon, only Sora and Kairi remained. Riku worked with the police for another half-hour before he approached them with Sora’s cloak tucked over his arm. He dragged a hand through his hair and crouched down to be level with them. For the first time, Kairi realized how tired he looked. Riku’s pale face was lined and pained, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his lips were chapped.

“Kairi, Sora,” he said gently. “It’s time to go home, okay?”

Sora got shakily to his feet.

Kairi couldn’t find the strength to stand. She watched Riku’s mouth talk, his lips shaping out words. His lip curled when he was angry, showing his teeth, and drooped when he was sad. It was somewhere between the two right now. Who was he angry at, she wondered, and who made him sad?

“Kairi?” Riku repeated. He licked his lips.

A little thread of fear wound into her belly, fighting the sense in her mind. These were her friends. They would never hurt her.

Sora’s voice was soft, though he didn’t seem to be whispering. “Kai?”

She shuddered and turned her head to look up at Sora. His face was bloody where he had hit his head and his lips were chapped, but he smiled softly at her.

“She’s out of it,” Riku said faintly. “I’m going to just pick her up. I want to get out of here.”

Sora nodded and touched the side of his head with tender fingers. The dried blood sloughed away.

“Go ahead of us and open up the ship,” Riku told him.

Sora hesitated. His hands clenched into fists.

“The police will take care of it, “ Riku told him firmly. “All that matters is that we have her now. No one will hurt her again. Now, go open the ship.”

Finally, Sora went. He dragged his feet and hunched his shoulders, his silhouette small against the sunlight.

“Kairi,” Riku said gently. He touched her shoulder, drawing her attention back to him. “I’m going to pick you up and carry you, okay? You want to get out of here, right?”

Kairi nodded shakily. Though fear bloomed inside her when Riku came closer, she didn’t fight him. She drew his black cloak tighter around her shoulders and curled into it. It didn’t smell exactly the way she remembered, but it was familiar. She must have dreamed of this smell a thousand times, but had forgotten.

Carefully, Riku slipped his strong arms under her knees and around her back. He cradled her to his chest and cursed softly, “Shit. You’re so thin.”

Kairi knew it was true. She had eaten so little since she had been taken. Dom wanted them all thin and weak and beautiful.

As they stepped outside, the fading sunlight blinded her. Kairi cried out and shielded her face with her hands. Riku stopped walking and she felt his eyes on her. How pale was she? She hadn’t seen the sun in years. Slowly, she lowered her hands from her face and looked around. The port city stretched in front of her like a crown jewel. Sunlight glittered on the ocean and caught in the white sails, merchants called their wares, the smell of fish and salt brine was heavy, and Kairi’s stomach growled at the scent of foods from little shops. The townspeople ogled her and Riku, their mouths agape like the fish they caught. Kairi tucked herself into Riku, ashamed, but the sight of the sea called to her regardless.

Their Gummi Ship hung suspended a few feet off the beach, humming faintly, its jets kicking up little puffs of stinging sand. Sora stood at the door, holding it open. His blue eyes were hard, trained on someone whispering at Kairi’s back. His hands curled into fists.

Riku jerked his chin, his head giving a little shake of warning.

Kairi tore her gaze from the stunning ocean. She stared at Sora, at his dark clothes, at his wild hair, at his blue eyes.

Sora was older and taller now, but he still had the slender build she remembered. In fact, he looked thinner than she remembered. However, she had no doubt of his strength. She had never known Riku to struggle against him, but she had seen it just now with her own eyes. His legs shook slightly, tense, ready to spring into a fight or else start running. Sora’s chestnut tresses were wild on his head except for the place where blood had plastered the hair to his temple. He looked uncomfortable, rocking on his feet, eyes darting. His face had grown angular and handsome, but he had lost weight. His eyes, still the same beautiful shade she remembered, were barred.

“Hi Kai,” he said softly.

She wanted to smile at him, to speak to him, but found that she couldn’t.

“Let’s go,” Riku said. He stepped carefully into the ship, mindful of Kairi’s elbows and knees in the narrow threshold.

Sora closed the door behind them.

The interior was different than Kairi remembered but also, thankfully, different from the brothel ship. It reminded her a little bit of when she had been inside her adoptive parent’s boat—the one they took on cruises and vacations. The living area was small but comfortable. There was a small kitchenette, cabinets, and a long couch. Unlike the boat her parents had, the Gummi Ship had a small cockpit with two captain’s chairs and a slew of gadgetry. In the back, there were three doors. Two were closed and probably led to bedrooms, the third was cracked open to reveal a white-tiled bathroom.

Riku gently settled her onto the couch and absently tucked the cloak around her shoulders. “Are you hurt? Do you need any healing?” he asked.

Kairi mentally took stock of her injuries. There was the typical ache in her core, but she had hardly any bruises or bites. Her lip had been split the night before but had healed to a dull throb that wasn’t worth the waste of medical supplies. She shook her head and stared over his shoulder at the back of Sora’s head. The wound on his head needed healing, didn’t it? Had he healed it already?

Riku’s sharp gaze picked over what he could see of her skin but didn’t press her. “Alright, let me know if you change your mind. You can rest here for now until I can get one of our rooms cleaned up for you, unless you want to shower now.”

She shook her head. She wasn’t ready to be naked yet, even though she still was under her satin scarves and Riku’s cloak.

Riku gave Kairi some space, joining Sora at the controls. “We’ll be contacted if we’re needed,” Riku said. “Let’s get out of here.”

Sora stared over his shoulder, his eyes settled on Kairi.

She squirmed beneath his gaze, tugging the cloak shut over her breasts.

“No,” Riku said firmly and put his hand on Sora’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “She needs to rest and so do you. Go shower, treat your head—I’m sorry I hurt you—and take some of those pills you’re supposed to be taking. Then, bring Kairi some of your clean clothing in case she wants to change. Mine are too big for her.”

Sora looked as though he wanted to protest, his gaze moving between Riku and Kairi, but he finally nodded. When he moved past Kairi, he didn’t speak to her. He seemed unable to even look at her that close. He slipped into the room that must have been his, shut the door, and stepped out a moment later with clean clothes. His had Dom’s blood on them, along with his own, Kairi realized. He disappeared into the bathroom and the door didn’t lock.

The thought of the lock brought her mind back to the brothel and back to Dom. She thought of Sora’s reaction—of that moment where he threw himself at Dom and Riku tried his hardest to stop him. He had been wild, like a threatened animal, all weapons and claws. Riku thought he was going to kill Dom, had shouted for him not to. The Sora she had dreamed about, the one she remembered, where had he gone? Had he lost himself searching for her?

Riku piloted the ship silently and Kairi stared past his head at the void of space beyond. It was beautiful, little twinkling lights and stars. She wasn’t sure when she dozed off.

…

Sora showered quickly. He returned to the cockpit and slid into his seat beside Riku after only twenty minutes. His hair was plastered to his head, but he had washed the blood away and there was a little color in his cheeks. He didn’t look better though, just wore a different expression. Riku had seen each of Sora’s exhausted faces and he knew them all.

“Did you take any?” Riku asked sternly.

Sora shook his head.

“Why not?” Riku asked. He tried to keep his voice neutral, but it was difficult.

Sora shrugged.

Unable to stop the accusatory tone from reaching his voice, Riku said, “You almost killed that guy today.”

Sora looked at Riku, his eyes bottomless like the deep sea. “He hurt her.”

Riku let go of the controls and turned to face Sora. “That’s no excuse.”

Sora grasped the controls instead and guided the ship around an asteroid. He stared straight ahead, ignoring the speech Riku had given him a thousand times—though it was usually to try to get Sora to eat or sleep, not an argument over beating up a pimp. “I brought clothes,” he said instead.

Riku glanced over his shoulder and saw that Kairi was slumbering, slumped against the arm of the couch with her head pillowed on her hands. He wasn’t going to wake her if she managed to fall asleep. Instead, he left Sora at the controls, ducked into his room, grabbed some clothes for himself, and cleaned up. He stood for a long time in the shower, letting the spray beat on his head and neck until he felt marginally more human. Then, he got dressed and returned to sit at Sora’s side.

Kairi still slumbered.

Sora stared out into the abyss.

Riku reclined in the captain’s chair, mindlessly watching the scenery float by. He had expected to be exhausted once they found Kairi or at least happy, but there was no such lightness inside him. He had thought finding her would magically fix Sora, even though he knew in his heart that such a wish was foolish.

Hours later, Riku heard Kairi stir with a moan.

Sora sat up straighter, but didn’t turn around to look at her.

Riku creaked out of his seat. He grasped the clean clothes from where Sora had placed them on the arm of the chair and carried them over to Kairi as she roused.

She blinked up at him as though waking from a dream, her lips shaped out his name.

“Hey Kairi,” Riku greeted. “How are you feeling?”

She continued to stare at him, as though uncertain if he was real.

He sank down beside her and his weight shifted the couch.

She looked alarmed, her gaze darting from where he sat to his face and back again.

“Here are some of Sora’s clean clothes. The bathroom is straight back. Why don’t you shower and change?”

Kairi took the clothes, venturing her hands out from inside the black cloak Riku had worn as a disguise when they entered the brothel. Her skin was paper white and thin enough that he could see her veins. She hugged them to her chest, staring at him with wide eyes. “Riku?” she murmured.

He smiled in what he hoped was a soothing way. “Yeah?”

She opened her mouth, shut it, wet her lips, and then shook her head. “Nothing, never mind.”

“Okay,” he said lightly.

She slipped from the couch and jingled her way through the ship. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sora tense at the reminder of where she had been, what her life had been like while they searched for her. However, she closed and locked the bathroom door behind herself and the moment passed.

The bathroom was completely white. The walls and floors were tiled, though there was a plush white rug on the floor. Fluffy white towels were stacked on a stainless-steel rack. It was so different from the bathroom she shared with the girls at Dom’s brothel. There was a combination tub and shower, rather than a stall like she was used to. The curtain was off-white, more of a cream tone, and she gently touched it. The material was soft between her fingers.

The only sprays of color in the bathroom were the toiletries secured to the counter. They each had brightly colored toothbrushes, combs, razors, and deodorants. When she opened the cabinets under the sink, she found a large red first aid kit. Behind another small white door, she found a single toilet. The bathroom was secure and nice and her pounding heart began to slow.

Once the door was shut, Kairi slumped against it. She could see herself in the mirror, her face pale and pinched, her eyes wide and haunted. She shrugged out of the black cloak and realized there was a hideous bruise growing on her arm and shoulder. Dom had left a handprint where he had gripped her and then there was a large bruise where she had landed on the floor. Wincing, she probed it and then moved on. They still weren’t the sort of injuries that needed healing.

She slipped out of her silk scarves and jingling bracelets and stood naked in front of the mirror. The swirl of dark magic that had stolen her ability to bear children hung low on her hips. There was no echoing mark on her back where Dom had healed her torn organs. She started the warm water in the shower and climbed inside. Slowly, weakly, she sank to the floor beneath the spray of water. She sat for a long time, feeling the water running across her face, uncertain if she was crying or not.

After a while, she climbed back to her feet. There were bottles of shampoo and soap along the wall. She scrubbed her face and body with her hands, unwilling to soil the loofas that hung along the walls. The space between her legs burned with the soap, but that was normal. She rinsed it away and then set to work on her hair. She scrubbed the red tresses, scratching absently at her scalp. When she finished, she washed her body again. She was overcome with the desire to keep doing so, scrubbing until she bled, but stopped herself.

If she was still at the brothel, Eilonwy would have checked on her by now, stopping the compulsive washing that haunted each girl. Instead, Kairi shut off the water and climbed out. She toweled herself dry and then stood on the soft rug, curling her toes into the fibers. She kicked her brothel clothing into the garbage, tossed the many bracelets, and dressed in Sora’s borrowed clothes. He had brought her something simple and clean—a pair of his boxers, some sweatpants, and a long t-shirt. Beneath everything, he had supplied her with his armored jacket.

Kairi dressed briskly, no longer bothered by being naked beneath clothes. The cotton was soft though, breath-takingly soft, and smelled wonderful. She cupped the jacket to her face and breathed in. She imagined she could smell the sea again, even though she really couldn’t. She slipped into the jacket and zipped it to her chin, relishing the armor.

Something rattled in the pocket.

Curiously, she slipped her hand inside and found a bottle of bills. She examined it in the light, reading the instructions. ‘Take twice daily by mouth and more often as needed not to exceed four doses.’ They were antidepressants and Sora’s name was on the bottle. She shoved the bottle back into the pocket and zipped it up.

Again, she saw Sora’s enraged face. She heard Riku shouting for him not to kill Dom.

“Sora?” she asked, staring at the closed door. The name felt alien on her lips.

XXX

A lot of this felt similar to the original chapter. I think I’ve always been pretty good at writing action scenes and dialogue. [Channeling my inner Joss Whedon.] I did completely rewrite the whole chapter but found myself reusing some lines of dialogue because I still liked the way they sounded.

Just as a disclaimer, I do not suffer from depression. I know many people who do and I’ve read some things about it, but I don’t think that is a replacement for actually suffering from something. So, take anything that might not sound right with a grain of salt. [Though people with depression say it’s different for everyone so this might be true for some people, but not for others.]

Questions, comments, concerns?


	3. Scent of Darkness

Gosh, there is one huge change between when I wrote this in 2010 and now [2019] that I forgot to mention. Since writing this back then, I became a massive Kingdom Hearts fan. I either played every single game or watched the cutscenes for it. I bought Kingdom Hearts 3 the day it came out and didn’t sleep for a week while I played it [and still went to my fulltime job]. So, my previous author’s note about correcting me if I have game lore incorrect really no longer applies.

XXX

Kairi tiptoed from the bathroom in her bare feet, hugging the dark cloak Riku had worn to her chest. Without her jewels and silk scarves, she didn’t feel naked, but she felt different. She was out of place, confused, uncertain of her position with her friends after so long apart. So much had changed, so much time had passed. All she knew these days was how to perform like a whore and cower to avoid punishment. She didn’t remember how to behave with her friends. She was not the same girl that they had lost. Part of her wanted to return for her discarded clothes, swathe herself in the familiarity of the silk and bangles, but she squashed down that urge. She didn’t need those clothes anymore. She was safe now.

The couch was empty and Riku was nowhere to be seen. Sora was still seated at the controls, faced forward at the void between. He didn’t appear aware of her presence, keeping his gaze forward. The many twinkling lights of the console and the weird colored dimness of the space between worlds played on his face and caught in his wild hair. His blue eyes were thoughtful, troubled. The Gummi Ship bobbed lightly, shifting beneath her feet as it turned and rose or fell to avoid obstacles.

Though Kairi wanted to talk to Sora as she once would have, she didn’t quite have the courage now. She kept thinking of him—bringing his blood-stained Keyblade down into Dom’s face, pinned beneath Riku so that he wouldn’t kill that bastard, shouting and struggling even at his friend. Fear fluttered under her ribs. She would wait for Riku to join them. Riku was more the person she remembered than Sora was. Sora had… changed.

Kairi sank down on the couch, folding the cloak neatly beside her. She settled her hands in her lap and stared at them, picking absently at the polish Eilonwy had put on her fingers. The Gummi Ship’s flight was relaxing, so unlike the perfect stillness of Dom’s brothel ship. She could hear the engines hear and feel the waves of flight. Dreamily, she thought of the beach, of Destiny Island, of home.

Then, a warm hand closed on her aching shoulder.

Kairi leaped to her feet with a scream of surprise.

The Gummi Ship swerved violently, sending her sliding, as her scream startled Sora. Riku lunged over the couch and caught her hand, steadying her as Sora evened the ship back out. Riku’s face looked as shocked as Sora’s flying had revealed him to be. However, Sora didn’t turn to look at her. His shoulders were stiff, hands clutching the controls.

Riku hastily let go of her hand. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, I… I’m sorry,” Kairi told him. “I’m a little on edge.”

Riku’s smile was sad. “S’okay.”

Kairi stared down at her bare feet, embarrassed.

It was so quiet that she thought she could hear the sound of space drifting past them. She glanced around briefly, wondering what time it was, but didn’t see a clock. The Gummi motor hummed peacefully and the darkness of space did nothing to tell her the time. It could have been midnight or four in the afternoon. Kairi wondered what time they had left Dom’s ship behind on Port Royal.

Riku cleared his throat. “So, are you hungry? I think we have something here that’s still edible.”

Kairi folded her arms over her thin belly and shook her head. “No, not really.”

Riku scrutinized her and then turned his narrow green gaze to Sora. “You should still eat something,” he said finally. “Both of you should.”

Sora didn’t respond.

Kairi shuffled her feet nervously, running her bare toes along a seam in the cool metal floor. “I’m just tired.”

With a great sigh, Riku gave in. He wasn’t Sora’s mother and who was he to tell Kairi what she needed? “Alright,” he relented. “Take Sora’s room. It’s cleaner. We’ll both bunk in my room tonight.”

Kairi glanced over her shoulder, between Sora’s back and the closed doors.

“It’s the one on the right,” Riku told her.

Despite her own admission of being tired, Kairi didn’t move.

“What is it?” Riku asked.

Kairi crossed to the couch and picked up Riku’s cloak. “Um, I threw away my clothes, but this… what should I do with this?”

Sora’s voice was hard and quiet, but still sliced through the ship like a stray bullet. “Burn it,” he said. “Burn everything that touched that place.”

Kairi shuddered, his words running through her. Should she burn too? Would he want to burn her?

Riku shot a glare at the back of Sora’s head, not that he was aware. He pressed on a soothing smile for Kairi and took the cloak from her. “I’ll take care of it, okay?”

Kairi nodded. Riku saw her hands shaking and opened his mouth to speak, but she thrust them into the pockets of Sora’s armored jacket. Her eyes glittered yet no tears fell. She bit her lip and walked away. She didn’t quite run to Sora’s room, but she didn’t hesitate again. The door closed quietly and Riku listened for a lock to click before remembering that Sora’s bedroom didn’t have a lock on the door, just like his own. He wondered if Kairi felt safe there, if he could give her something to make her feel safer, before shaking that thought away. Kairi was safe now—safe with them.

Riku whirled on Sora and hissed in a voice as loud as he could get away with without disturbing Kairi. “Where do you get off acting like that to her? Can’t you see that she’s traumatized?” He hurled the hooded cloak at the back of Sora’s head with a satisfying thump. The cloak tipped over the top of Sora’s head and spilled into his lap. “What the hell, Sora? You were supposed to get better once we found her, not worse!”

Riku was still almost-yelling, even when Sora released the controls and flipped on the auto-pilot. He pawed through the cloak, spreading it open and then pressing his nose inside the collar. Sora inhaled deeply and then pulled it away, his eyes narrowed at the offending fabric. “Riku.”

“You have to stop being like this, Sora,” Riku continued as though he hadn’t heard. “You don’t take those pills regularly enough! You have to take them seriously.”

Sora repeated, “Riku.”

“Kairi is back. She’s safe with us. And you just scared the shit out of her!” Riku continued. He jabbed a finger in Sora’s direction. “And that is the last thing she needs right now!”

“Riku.” Sora rubbed the material between his fingers.

“Goddamn it, Sora,” Riku huffed. He raked a hand through his hair.

“Riku!” Sora hadn’t raised his voice, but there was something in his tone that brought Riku pause from his tirade. “Black magic,” Sora murmured. “Smell.”

Riku leaned over the back of Sora’s chair, plucked the cloak to his nose, and breathed in. “I don’t smell anything.”

“I can smell it,” Sora told him. “She had black magic cast on her.”

Riku thought of his first glimpse of her after so much time—being dragged from the back hallway with that disgusting man’s hands on her, her naked arms and legs showing through wisps of silk. All those people in the lobby had looked at her like she was a piece of meat, at the swell of bared breast or the space between her thighs. Riku had been too concerned with Sora’s reaction to really look at her then, but he vaguely recalled seeing the mark of dark magic low on her belly.

“A brothel,” Sora murmured with disgust as though he hadn’t yet given it thought. “What could a brothel need black magic for?”

Riku put his hand on Sora’s shoulder, repentant that he had been yelling at his friend only moments ago. He thought about apologizing, but Sora wasn’t paying him any mind. Sora stared straight ahead at the darkness of space. Then, he turned beneath Riku’s hand and fixed his eyes on the closed door where Kairi had gone to sleep.

“Don’t,” Riku said as gently as he could. “Go to my room and lay down. I’ll drive for a while and I’ll wake you if I get tired.”

Sora nodded absently, still gazing after Kairi.

“I mean it,” Riku said firmly. “Go to bed. Take one of those pills.”

Sora’s demeanor shifted. His blue eyes tracked to the ground and he nibbled his lower lip. He dragged himself to his feet and slouched to Riku’s room. The door closed silently. Riku slipped into Sora’s emptied seat and took the controls, focusing on driving around the rolling asteroids. He knew nothing he said or did would stop Sora if he decided to visit Kairi in the night. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind—there was a time when she wouldn’t have.

Unbidden, Riku thought of the scent of black magic on Kairi’s body. He could guess what the spell had been for, especially considering the placement of the dark mark, but he wasn’t sure Sora was ready to hear that. He decided to keep his guesses to himself until Kairi was ready to talk about it. Shaking his head, Riku put everything else out of his mind. Be the void, he told himself, but it was easier said than done.

…

Kairi lingered inside Sora’s room, the door solid against her back. She was grateful for its support, her legs trembling as she leaned against it. Once her heart stopped pounding, she was able to straighten up and look around. Sora’s room was bare compared to the messy space she remembered. His clean clothes were put away, dirty clothes in a hamper, the bed made up with nondescript blue sheets. The room was cool and impersonal and so not like the Sora she remembered. She found herself wanting to look in Riku’s bedroom and see how he had changed.

Atop Sora’s dresser, she could see a frame turned facedown. Hesitatingly, she approached and lifted it.

Her eyes welled with tears.

It was them—all three of them. Kairi saw herself in the middle, as she always had been back then. She held Sora’s hand tightly, towing him against her side. Her other arm was looped around Riku’s neck, dragging him down to her level. Kairi’s face was wide with a smile, a real smile that showed her teeth, as though she was caught mid-laugh. Her red tresses, cut short to her chin in her youth, were restrained by a single golden butterfly clip. There was a blue hibiscus blossom tucked behind her ear, the same shade as Sora’s beautiful eyes.

Sora leaned into her, close, as they had been. He was grinning his trademark Sora-smile, goofy and joyous, so bright that it could have lit up the darkness—and indeed had since then. His wild hair was wet but impervious to gravity, standing up all over his head. It was darker than it was now, as though the trauma he had been through was seeping the color from him. He was shirtless, wearing only his swim trunks, and perfectly tan. Kairi had always envied Sora for his skin which tanned wonderfully while hers freckled and burned.

At least Riku was her kindred spirit in sunburn. Riku had been pulled unhappily into the photograph at the time. His face was caught between a smile at their antics and annoyance for their behavior. He was just as shirtless as Sora, though pale and edging on burned like Kairi. He was more muscular in their youth as Riku took training with his wooden sword seriously while Sora did it for fun and to impress Kairi. Riku’s long silver hair was pulled back into a ponytail, courtesy of Kairi. His green eyes sparkled, the shade of the leaves of the hibiscus. He towered over both of them.

Like remembering a distant yet wonderful dream, Kairi could recall the day the photo had been taken. It was something she had almost forgotten—lost in the whirl of the worlds falling, Sora restoring them, Riku being lost and then found, her own terrible kidnapping and lost years.

They had gone to the play island for the day, enjoying one of the final days of summer. Kairi had spent much of the day hiding beneath her umbrella, lathering on sunscreen and burning regardless, while the boys played in the waves without a care in the world. Kairi had tried to put sunscreen on Riku, but he had dived into the waves instead. After lunch, they decided to race to the cove and back. Whoever won would prove their victory by fetching a hibiscus from the bush on the small island in the center of the cove. Somehow, Sora had won. Riku protested that his sunburn had slowed him down, to Kairi’s amusement.

Sora had given the flower to Kairi, smiling openly, honest about his feelings in a way Kairi never could be. Kairi remembered how she had blushed back then, how Sora had beamed when she tucked the bloom into her hair. Riku had sulked off and Kairi bribed them with ice cream. Being the mayor’s daughter came with its perks and an increased allowance was one of them.

After they finished, someone had offered to take their picture.

“One picture,” Kairi had pleaded.

Riku had blinked for the first one and tried valiantly to escape before the second, but Kairi had hooked him into it regardless. Hence, their position in the photograph.

Kairi smiled fondly and gently set the picture facedown again. She could see why Sora wouldn’t want to look it.

Kairi paced to his neatly-made bed, drew a hand gingerly across the coverlet, and then withdrew. It was chilly in the Gummi Ship. She wouldn’t be able to sleep unless she got under the covers to keep warm, but… could she sleep in Sora’s bed? Abruptly, she became aware that she was naked beneath his borrowed clothes and now about to sleep in his bed only hours after other men and women had violated her.

Sora’s words came back. ‘Burn everything that touched that place.’

Did that include her? Would that include his bed if she touched it? Was he… disgusted by her?

Kairi glanced at the flattened picture, recalling their closeness. Could she never have that again?

She thought of her shoulder, how she had screamed when Riku had touched her.

Kairi shuddered, her whole body vibrating with part-cold and part-fear. However, she hadn’t lied when she said she was tired. She was exhausted. Fighting away her fearsome thoughts, she tugged back the covers and slipped into Sora’s bed. The sheets smelled of him, as did the soft pillow and she clutched it to her chest. His armored jacket was uncomfortable, the plates and bottle of antidepressants digging into her. She sat up, slipped out of it, and laid it at the foot of the bed.

With her eyes closed, she was able to smell him more clearly. His scent had changed, growing more masculine and powerful in the years they were apart. However, beneath it, she could still smell the old Sora that she remembered. She smelled the salt of the ocean, the perfume of island flowers, and the magic of his Keyblade which tied directly into his heart.

The Gummi Ship bobbed gently as Riku piloted it, but Kairi could hear sounds beyond the engine. Riku must have turned on a radio or television. She could hear voices and recorded laughter. It was warm and safe here, in Sora’s bed, wrapped in his clothes, aboard her friends’ ship. Breathing deeply, Kairi managed to fall asleep.

…

Kairi hadn’t predicted that sleeping alone would give her nightmares. She hadn’t slept alone since Dom had first taken her, since he had made it his business to break her, leaving her starving and in silence. Once she was allowed to be with the other girls, she had done everything she could to avoid that lonely fate. She was used to sleeping, pressed between others that shared her suffering. When she woke, Eilonwy often brushed her hair back and soothed her until she was able to sleep again.

Alone, in Sora’s room and in his bed, there was no one to do that. However, each time she woke, she recognized his scent and drifted back to sleep relatively quickly. She didn’t think to get up and sleep on the couch where she would be able to see Riku or even of leaving Sora’s bedroom and sliding into Riku’s room where she knew Sora was sleeping. She just drifted back to the next nightmare, hugging Sora’s pillow to her chest.

…

Sora could hear Kairi crying out in her sleep across the little space between their closed doors. He wanted to go to her, but he knew Riku would be watching. He could slip past Riku if he really wanted to, but he didn’t want to see Riku’s disappointed face in the morning when Riku saw that he hadn’t listened—the way Riku looked at him when he didn’t take his pills or eat correctly. Riku was protecting Kairi, protecting her from Sora and his out-of-control emotions. Part of Sora wanted to feel hurt, to feel anger towards Riku for denying him, to feel dejected that Riku still thought he wasn’t well, but Sora knew Riku was right on all accounts.

Since Kairi had been taken, Sora had become… unstable.

When he had finally found Kairi again, the first thing he did was try to kill the man who had stolen her. He had wanted to kill Dom desperately. Surely, Riku had the same feelings, but Sora had been unable to control himself. Riku had to take him down, wrestle him to the floor and pin him there until he could see past the red.

In that moment, Sora should have gone to her instead, comforted her, shown her that she was finally safe. Instead, he had only caused harm and attacked Dom. He knew he had scared Kairi.

He had scared her just now when he spoke rashly, telling Riku to burn everything that Dom had touched. He hoped Kairi knew that didn’t include her. He hoped she knew that he still… How could she know that? He should go to her, tell her that he was sorry, that he was here for her.

But Riku would be disappointed if Sora slipped in to see her. Riku had told him not to, had told him to take his pills and get some rest.

Sora was doing neither.

Laying on his back, Sora brought his fingertips to the wound at his temple. He hadn’t healed it and it was tender and deep. It was a testament to just how hard Riku had to hit him to take him down. His fingers curled tightly in the sheets when he heard Kairi whimper again. Then, it was quiet. She must have woken herself and now lay awake as well. He wondered what she was thinking about.

Was she frightened? Was she lonely? Did she miss him?

Sora wanted to go to her, but he didn’t allow himself to.

He had been right there when she was taken and he hadn’t been strong enough to reach her. When his strength had mattered, it hadn’t been there. And now, now that he had finally found her, that strength was misplaced. He hadn’t used it to protect her, instead he had tried to use it to do harm.

Riku was right to keep them apart, even though Sora wanted nothing more than to lay beside her. It should have been that way. When he found her, he should have gone to her, but he had gone wild instead. He didn’t deserve to protect her. He could tell he had frightened her and she had every right to be afraid of him.

Sora shut his eyes, listening to the noises of the Gummi Ship all around him. He knew he should get up, go to his room, and fetch his pills from the pocket of his armored jacket. He didn’t want to though, even if it would have given him an excuse to see Kairi. He didn’t want to depend on those pills anymore. He wanted to escape them.

Kairi was back. They had found her. She would be home tomorrow.

Riku would keep her safe. Sora would do anything to keep her safe.

Everything could go back to the way it was before now, couldn’t it?

Sora knew in his heart that life was never that simple. He knew he should have gotten up and taken one of his pills, should have told Riku how rage still simmered under his skin, how he still felt strangled by sorrow and guilt for being unable to save Kairi the night she had been taken. However, he did none of those things. Sora lay quietly in the dark, staring at the ceiling, listening for Kairi’s tiny cries.

XXX

I do feel that even years ago, I think I had a decent grasp at writing emotions, even if it was buried under a little too much ‘telling’ and not quite enough ‘showing.’

Questions, comments, concerns?


	4. Apologies

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

XXX

After hours of flying through the void between worlds, Riku guided the Gummi Ship in to dock on the shore of Destiny Islands. Once he had it safely moored, he dragged his hands off the controls and scrubbed his tired face. He was a little surprised that he had made it in one piece. He hadn’t wanted to wake Sora and had nodded off a few times in the captain’s seat. However, space was vacant save a few drifting asteroids and small worlds and the Gummi Ship had an alarm to warn when collision was imminent. The proximity alarm and landing turbulence hadn’t roused Sora or Kairi so Riku counted himself lucky.

Riku hauled himself out of the captain’s chair and treated his rumbling stomach to a spoonful of peanut butter from the jar in lieu of cooking something. His elbow and back popped uncomfortably as he reached for it in the top of the cabinet, hidden from Sora. He tried to blame it on sitting at the controls for so long.

He didn’t want to admit it, but his body was sore from taking on Sora, even for just those few minutes in the brothel's lobby. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was bigger than Sora, he probably wouldn’t have been able to stop his friend from killing that bastard. Riku was strong, had always been strong, but Sora’s unrestrained emotions gave him more strength than Riku. That had once been a benefit, but in Sora’s current state now lurked like some kind of curse.

Riku put the jar back and walked over to the bank of doors at the rear of the ship. He thought about opening Sora’s bedroom door to check on Kairi, but changed his mind. Since she had screamed when he had just touched her shoulder earlier, he doubted she would handle him creeping up on her in the dark much better. The last thing he wanted was for Kairi’s screaming to wake Sora. That was a conversation he didn’t have the strength to have right now.

Instead, he stood outside the door, listening intently now that the Gummi Ship’s motors were whisper-quiet. Inside Sora’s room, he couldn’t hear any snores or whimpers. Hopefully that meant Kairi was getting a good night’s sleep, not lying awake with fear and worry. Riku knocked very lightly, just in case she was awake and too frightened to come to him or Sora. He waited a moment, but there was no response inside.

Relieved, Riku ducked into the bathroom. He turned the water as hot as he could bear, stripped out of his clothes, and stepped beneath the spray. He hissed as the strong water pressure assaulted his sore muscles. After a moment, it turned to pleasure and he rested his forehead on the cool tiles, giving himself over to the onslaught.

He was so tired—tired of all of it—and his exhausted mind began to drift.

…

After Kairi had been stolen from them, Sora had destroyed himself. He didn’t eat and he barely slept. All he did was search for her—pulling up every corner of Agrabah, overturning every stone, interrogating every low-life, sifting through the ashes with his bare hands. When it became apparent that she was no longer on that world, Sora had moved on to the next one.

Almost two months passed in that way and Riku was drawn along helplessly. How could he tell Sora not to search for her? How could he ask Sora to stop? He wanted to find her too, but Sora was manic. Bit and pieces began to break away from Sora, leaving behind a haunted shell of Riku’s best friend that stared out of his empty blue eyes.

Though Riku hadn’t thought it possible, Sora only got worse. Pounds dropped from his skeleton frame. When he did manage to fall into an exhausted sleep, he woke with horrific screaming nightmares. Starved, exhausted, obsessed, roaming each world day and night, Sora lost himself.

Heartless began to follow them, drawn to the darkness.

Sora’s magic waned and he was no longer able to summon his Oathkeeper. Only Oblivion answered when he called.

When Sora blindly attacked a motorcyclist because the helmet had a similarity to the bug-eyed visor of the man who had stolen Kairi, Riku knew it had gone too far. He had to do something to stop Sora—to save him—or he knew his best friend was going to die.

Sora didn’t sleep for three days after the unsolicited attack. Finally, he collapsed in his seat at the Gummi Ship’s controls and passed out into an exhausted sleep.

Riku gathered Sora’s frighteningly-light body in his arms, carried him to bed, shut him in his room, drove them directly to an empty asteroid, and docked there. Then, he pulled out the navigation system and flight boosters. Riku buried them on that asteroid, hidden where Sora wouldn’t be able to find them. He stranded them so that Sora couldn’t continue to search—so that Sora couldn’t kill himself.

Riku sat on the couch and waited for Sora to wake up.

When Sora did, drifting from his room like a wraith, he went immediately to the controls and tried to head for a new destination to continue his search. The Gummi Ship threw up error after error, the alarm drilling into Riku’s mind. In his state, it took Sora a long time to realize what had happened—to realize what Riku had done.

“What?” Sora muttered. “Why can’t…? Riku.”

Riku was still seated on the couch, his hands in his lap.

“Why can’t I take off?” Sora asked blearily. “I have to go. Have to take off. Have to find Kairi.”

“You can’t,” Riku said. His voice sounded distant to his own ears.

Sora stilled. His eyes were so empty that they looked like glass marbles. “Can’t?” he repeated.

Riku shook his head, unable to speak.

“I have to!” Sora shouted. “I have to find Kairi!” His voice rose in fever and pitch. “I have to go!”

Riku got to his feet. “You can’t,” he repeated.

With an animalistic howl, Sora threw himself at Riku. Oblivion struck Riku hard in the ribs, knocking the wind out of him. Riku snatched Sora’s forearm and spun him around, throwing Sora bodily out of the ship and into the frigidity of space. Sora skidded on the barren soil, his Keyblade gouging deep. Riku stepped outside and shut the Gummi Ship behind them. It was hard to breathe in the void, but he faced Sora regardless.

Screaming, Sora launched himself at Riku again. Darkness seeped from his fingertips, wisped off his shoulders, and gathered all around him. Riku held his ground, but did his best not to hurt Sora. He tossed him a lot, using his size to his advantage, but Sora stopped being able to catch himself after a while. He crashed into the barren soil harder and harder, his skin splitting, but he didn’t appear to notice.

Still shrieking and bleeding, Sora ran at Riku full force. His panic and rage drew more and more darkness until there was nothing left of Sora. He slashed at Riku with Oblivion, forcing Riku backwards to the edge of the asteroid. Once there, Riku tossed Sora away. He crashed into a large boulder, his body breaking it with the force. Riku winced at the sound. Sora lay among the rubble, panting, catching his strength.

Riku hadn’t expected Sora’s malnourished and exhausted body to be able to put up such a fight, but the darkness gave him strength where he shouldn’t have had any. Sora’s throat went raw from screaming, the sound increasingly painful the longer their fight went on. Sora lunged at him again, mouth open in a feral snarl.

Riku tossed him again, over and over each time he attacked. His arms were getting tired, starting to shake. Just when Riku began to fear that Sora would never tire, that he would have to put Sora down violently, Sora finally collapsed. He curled in on himself, sobbing, shivering in the frigid cold of space.

The darkness began to seep from him, leaving Sora looking pale and ill against the torn soil. His blood was smeared all over, wet and dry, caking on his clothes and between his fingers. It was dark against his pale sweat-slick skin. Bruises were already beginning to form on Sora's face and arms.

“I have to find her,” Sora cried, digging his bloodied hands into the ruined soil. “I have to!”

Riku sheathed his Way to Dawn and knelt beside Sora in the detritus of their fight. He dragged his friend into his arms and hugged him tightly as if that alone could stop Sora from breaking apart. “We won't stop looking,” Riku murmured. “We will find her.”

Sora weakly pounded his fist against Riku's chest, leaving smears of dirt and blood. “You don't know that! What if we—” he hiccupped “—can't find her? I have to find her!”

“We won't stop looking,” Riku promised. He caught Sora’s hand and held it, rubbing his thumb accidentally over a break in the skin of Sora’s knuckles.

Sora winced, the pain finally reaching him. He stared down at his hand, at the broken skin and dripping blood. He trembled all over.

Riku cast a healing spell on Sora, melting away the cuts and bruises.

Sora turned his face into Riku's chest and cried. They were deep bone-shaking sobs.

Riku half-carried half-dragged him into the Gummi Ship and settled him onto the couch. Sora lay there, boneless, staring up at the ceiling for a long time without moving. Riku made Sora a hot meal and ate with him even though he wasn't hungry either. Sora ate in silence, his blue eyes like glass, tears dripping quietly down his face.

When they finished, Riku steered him into a hot shower and left him slouched in the bottom of the tub with all his clothes on. Half an hour passed and Sora didn't reemerge. Riku ousted him from the shower, stripped the sodden clothes off him, and threw a towel at him. Sora dried himself out of habit alone and slung the towel around his hips.

Riku guided Sora into his bed and pulled the covers up over him. Silently, Sora stared at the wall. He had stopped crying, but he looked like he could break down again at any moment. Naked beneath the sheets, his bones standing out against his sallow skin, Sora rolled over to face Riku and clutched the pillow to his chest.

“We’ll find her. You promise?” Sora asked.

Riku perched on the edge of the bed. He wanted to touch Sora, to comfort both of them, but didn’t. Sora looked too fragile, like broken glass that would cut both of them. “I promise, but this,” he gestured to Sora, “has to stop. You're going to kill yourself or someone else. If you're dead, you can't help Kairi.”

Sora nodded and then shut his eyes. Tears leaked down his cheeks.

Riku patted his wet head briefly, unable to resist the urge to comfort his friend. “Get some sleep, Sora.”

Together, they spent two weeks training alone there, destroying the Heartless that had followed Sora's dark state. Riku needed to gain strength too. He had been there—right there—and hadn't been able to save Kairi either. He tried not to think about that. He focused on helping Sora. He trained hard and long so that he fell asleep at night immediately and was too tired to dream.

It was easy to train, but nursing Sora back to health was harder. Though he was a good enough cook that Sora began to put weight back on and well-versed in healing magic, Riku didn't know the first thing about fixing someone's mind. Riku tried all his healing spells on Sora, but nothing seemed to help his emotional state. Sora plateaued, staring out into the void like Kairi’s kidnapper might just drift by.

Defeated, Riku contacted a doctor who prescribed antidepressants and sleep aides and strange foreign roots with healing properties. The roots and herbs tasted delicious in Riku's cooking, but he thought it was the pills that improved Sora the most. Two weeks into the pills, Sora seemed more stable. His eyes looked better, less like glass, and he was able to get himself up and dressed in the morning.

After another two weeks, Sora began to ask about when they could resume their search.

Riku relented as long as Sora continued to take his pills and promised to eat and sleep regularly. If he started to backslide, they would be right back on this asteroid. Riku couldn’t take much more of the lonely asteroid himself. Where would they be if they both went crazy? Riku dug the Gummi Ship's parts back up and reinstalled them.

They set back out in search of Kairi, but it was more than a year before they caught wind of a suspicious ship and found her in Port Royal.

…

The pounding water began to grow cold, jolting Riku from his memories. Riku shut it off, climbed out, and dried himself off. Tucking the towel around his hips, he let himself into his room. It was dark inside save the faint moonlight drifting through the round window. Sora had made himself a pallet of blankets on the floor and was curled up on his side, breathing quietly. His narrow back was a fortress of bones, quivering slightly. Was he having a nightmare?

Riku pulled on some clean cotton pajamas, hung up his towel, and stepped over Sora to climb into his unmade bed. He fluffed his pillow and buried his face in it, trying not to listen to the tiny sounds that Sora made as he dreamed. Sora never spoke of his nightmares, not even to the doctor Riku had forced him to see.

However, after a long moment, during which Riku almost fell asleep, Sora grew silent.

Shaken from his drowsiness by the loss of sound, Riku sat up to check on his friend.

Sora was sitting up, his back braced against the side of Riku's bed. The blanket he had wrapped himself in pooled in his lap. His shoulders, bare without his armored jacket, looked small and shook faintly. Moonlight glinted off the wet curve of Sora's face. His cerulean eyes gleamed, staring into the darkness as though he saw something lurking there. His chestnut hair was plastered to his neck and the side of his face. His chest heaved as he breathed shakily.

“Sora?” Riku murmured.

It took a moment for Sora to respond, asking only, “Are we home?”

“Yeah,” Riku told him.

Sora tipped his head back against the side of Riku's bed, his throat flashing as he swallowed. His pulse jumped, the vein dark in the moonlight. “Good.”

“Everything okay?” Riku asked.

Sora nodded and dragged his hand over his face. “Fine, just had a bad dream,” he admitted.

“Want to talk about it?” Riku offered.

Sora shook his head. “Thanks,” he said softly. Then, he lay back down on the floor.

Riku listened to him shifting position for a few minutes. Then, Sora found a comfortable place and it was quiet. Listening to Sora breathing and the distant sound of the waves lapping against Destiny Island, Riku finally managed to fall asleep. He didn't dream for the rest of the night.

…

Kairi woke the next morning when sunshine began to stream through the window. She stared outside, the blankets drawn around her shoulders, and watched the sun come up. It was beautiful—even more beautiful than she remembered. She had forgotten that the world contained so many colors, all the hues of pink and orange and gold. The ocean stretched endlessly, glittering as though inlaid with jewels. Riku must have gotten them home sometime in the night. Destiny Island called to her like an old friend and something tight loosened in her chest.

Once the glorious colors had faded to a cool blue, Kairi got out of bed and pulled the blankets neatly up. She fluffed the pillows and removed any trace of her being there. She shrugged back into Sora's armored jacket and zipped it up. Timidly, she crept out of Sora's room and slipped into the bathroom to wash her face and relieve herself. Then, she walked quietly into the middle of the Gummi Ship.

Sora had emerged while she was in the bathroom. He was seated cross-legged on the couch in his usual clothes. His head was bowed, as though he was dozing or meditating. Kairi couldn't see his face from her angle.

Clearing her throat, Kairi called, “Good morning.”

Sora lifted his head slowly and turned to face her. His eyes were as blue as the ocean, as blue as the sky. He met her gaze and held it. Kairi felt cradled in his eyes and a little spot of warmth welled in her chest. This was Sora, her best friend, and she was happy to be with him again. The smallest smile touched Sora's mouth as though he could read her thoughts. Maybe they showed on her face.

“Good morning Kai,” he said softly.

Kairi twisted a lock of red hair nervously around her finger. “Are we... are we home?”

“We are,” Sora told her. He looked away from her, gazing out the windshield of the cockpit at the tops of the palm trees.

Without the pressure of his gaze, Kairi found her courage and came closer. She perched on the couch beside him, folding her hands in her lap. However, silence stretched between them. There wasn't even the whine of the Gummi Ship's motors to fill the void and she could no longer hear the ocean waves. Her heart pounded, throbbing against her ribcage. She dug her fingernails into her palm, staring at the crescent-shaped marks. She was so focused on her hands, on the press of her nails, that she didn't notice Sora moving until he had already touched her.

She jumped, snapping her head around to stare at him.

“Stop,” Sora murmured. “You're hurting yourself.”

Kairi gasped in a little breath.

Sora didn't look at her as he gently untangled her tight fingers and cradled her palm between his own. His thumb carded gently over her knuckles and tickled her palm with a light touch.

Kairi wanted to pull away. She wasn't used to being touched so gently by men, but this was Sora. He would never hurt her. Though his skin was rough with calluses, his warm touch was so gentle. Slowly, he met her eyes and then smiled slightly. Kairi found herself relaxing, giving his fingers a little squeeze in response.

She lifted her other hand from her lap and gently touched the back of his hand with the tips of her fingers. It dawned on her that he wasn't wearing gloves. His skin was smooth and pale from the lack of sunlight. There were a few freckles dotting the top of his wrist. She traced his fingers. They were long and slender. His nails had been chewed to the quick, much like hers.

Curiously, she turned his hand over and traced his palm. His lifeline was long, his heart line even longer but jagged. She ran her thumb over both and he returned the gentle touch. She scooted a little closer, feeling the heat rolling off his body in waves. He was so warm. She had almost forgotten what it was to be this warm.

“I feel like I’ve never seen your hands before,” Kairi murmured. “You always wear gloves.”

“I’ve been taking them off sometimes,” he murmured, “ever since you were…”

Kairi shuddered and tightened her grip on Sora’s hand.

“I'm so sorry,” he whispered. “Please forgive me.”

Sora’s apology fell on her like a blow. She stared at him, unable to find her voice. When she finally spoke, it came out a hoarse dry squeak. “Forgive you? For what?”

Sora squeezed her hand, his thumb rasping across her knuckles. “I was right there,” he whispered. “I was right there with you and I still couldn’t protect you. You were stolen right from my hands. I was at your side and I still lost you.”

Kairi’s heart hammered against her ribs. “What? No…”

Sora bent over their clasped hands, his shoulders trembling with emotion. “I’m so sorry,” he sobbed. Tears marred his voice. “It’s all my fault. If I had been stronger… I’ve always needed to be stronger. I could have saved you if I was stronger. I should have been able to protect you.” His breath puffed on the back of her hand in jagged pants.

Kairi’s stomach twisted and a cold thread of fear shot down her spine. She wanted to scream, to cry, to run. Her mind raced, throbbed, with this new information. A maelstrom took up root beneath her ribcage, shredding her from the inside out. All that time she had waited, believing that her friends would come for her… what if she had never been taken at all? What if Sora had simply rescued her from the start?

She thought of that day, of the surging Heartless, of Riku flying past her too quickly to help, of Sora reaching out. She remembered his face, streaked with blood, and his blue eyes shining. Why hadn’t he saved her then, before it was too late, before she had been raped and tortured?

Sora had let her be taken.

Sora had taken so long finding her.

A tiny voice in her head spoke up in protest. It wasn’t Sora’s fault. Riku had been there too. There were too many Heartless. Dom had already had a plan to take her—had already taken so many girls the same way. At least Kairi had friends who had searched tirelessly and finally found her.

The voice pleaded for her to look at Sora—to just look at him. He was so thin and his beautiful eyes were barred. He had to take those antidepressants. It was as though some part of him had died inside when he lost her. He held her hand gently, so kindly, so sweetly, and peered at her with wet shining eyes. This was Sora, her best friend.

However, the protest was lost in the wailing storm inside her.

Unbidden, she thought of their picture, turned facedown on his dresser. Before she could think, she had jerked away from him. “No,” she protested. Her voice sounded cold and distant, even to her own ears.

Sora searched her face.

Kairi watched his expression shatter with realization. His bright open eyes darkened and closed, the light leaving them as he broke inside. His mouth turned down and then twisted. He bit his lip from as though to hold back a plea or a cry. All that was left inside Sora was flickering, going out, fading. Kairi watched it. She saw his face shatter like a dropped plate, the shards scattering and cutting.

The shards of Sora cut into her.

Sora repeated her answer, his voice a tiny thing in the void.

Kairi couldn’t say it again. She simply shook her head, eyes welling with tears.

The door to Riku’s room creaked open and he emerged with a fantastic yawn. Kairi saw him stretch elaborately from the corner of her eyes, his shirt hiking up to show a band of his white belly. Riku paused when he saw them, his jaunty morning routine interrupted. “Sora?” he asked. He could already tell something was wrong. “Kairi?”

Sora’s eyes shifted from Kairi’s face to Riku. In a flash, he was gone. He dropped her hand and took off running.

“Sora!” Riku shouted.

The Gummi Ship’s door crashed open and then shut. It was so loud that Kairi jumped in her seat, the tears she had been fighting broke free and rolled unchecked down her face. She brought a hand to her mouth and sobbed. Her throat was so tight that it was hard to breathe. She tried to swallow the lump welling there.

Riku’s head snapped around, darting between Sora’s hasty departure and Kairi’s weeping form. After a moment of indecision, he came towards Kairi. “What happened?”

Kairi couldn’t even look at him. She just sobbed into her hands, hot tears dripping onto her legs.

“Kairi,” Riku repeated. He didn’t touch her. “What happened? Did he hurt you?”

Kairi started to shake her head, stopped, and then nodded.

Riku reached for her, but aborted the movement inches from grasping her shoulders. “What happened?”

A ragged breath tore from her lips, but she couldn’t find a voice to speak.

Riku rested one hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly. “Tell me what happened, Kairi. I need to know.”

“I-I-I,” she choked out, “I destroyed him.”

“What?” Riku demanded. “What the hell happened?” He dropped down beside her on the couch, his weight bouncing her. “Tell me.”

She whimpered.

“Now,” Riku said. He gripped her shoulders and jerked her to face him, ignoring the tiny cry that escaped her. “Now, Kairi.”

Kairi buried herself into his chest, sobbing raggedly. “Riku,” she wailed and clutched his shirt. “Why didn’t he come for me? Why did he let them take me? He was right there and—”

“What?” Riku half-shouted at her. “Where did you get that idea? Did you say that to him?”

“He told me,” Kairi confessed. “He started apologizing.” She hiccupped, swiping at her cheeks with one hand and clutching Riku with the other. “He said it was his fault. He wanted me to forgive him.”

Riku gritted his teeth to keep from screaming at her. “What did you say to him?” he bit out.

Kairi flinched at his voice, a new wave of tears running down her face. She shook her head pleadingly.

Riku shook her harshly, rattling her teeth together. “What did you say to him? Tell me. Now!”

“No,” Kairi whispered. “I told him… No.”

“Shit!” Riku snarled. He scrubbed his face with his hand. “Shit, Kairi.”

She tried to pull away, shaking like a leaf.

He tightened his grip on her, unwilling to let her flee, and then forced himself to loosen his fingers. He didn’t want to scare her, even if he wanted to shake her until her brain realigned. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. We were blindsided. A hole was ripped in the fabric of the world. You were kidnapped by a man in a mask. We didn’t even have a clue to begin searching for you. It wasn’t Sora’s fault,” Riku told her. “But he’s thought that ever since it happened. You know Sora. He takes the weight of the whole damn world on his shoulders, even if he shouldn’t.”

Kairi’s face paled and crumbled.

“Gods, Kairi. He almost died after you were taken. He didn’t sleep or eat. He just searched for you—constantly, turning every world we went to upside-down, picking fights with anyone in a mask. I had to strand us on an asteroid and force him to stop,” Riku explained. “He still has nightmares that he won’t tell me about. He’s been so fucked up since this happened.”

Kairi tried to fold into him, weeping, shaking.

Riku held her away, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Stay here,” he told her. “I have to go get him.”

Kairi clung to him, fear lighting up behind her eyes. “Don’t leave—”

“Stay in the ship,” Riku told her. “You’re safe. I’ll just be a few minutes, but I have to go get him.”

“Riku,” she pleaded.

“No,” he told her firmly. “Stay here. Stay in the ship. I’ll be right back with Sora. I have to go.” Riku pried her fingers out of his shirt and stood up from the couch.

She wavered there, reaching out for him, and then drew her hands back into her lap. “Okay,” she said in a tiny voice.

Content that she wouldn’t take off like Sora, Riku took a moment to lace his boots incongruously over his pajamas. Then, he stepped out into the morning sunlight and squinted against so much buttery warmth. He took a moment to compose himself and scrub the sleep from his eyes. He wanted things to get easier, to get better, but it wasn’t going to be that simple.

Riku sprang into the sky and set off as a brisk glide, using his high-speed to scour the ground for Sora. Sora might be able to glide with more accuracy, but Riku was faster. However, it didn’t take long for Riku to spot Sora. He hadn’t even bothered to use his glide to get away. He was just running, fleeing the Gummi Ship, with no care for his destination.

…

Despite the early hour, the sand burned Sora’s cold bare feet. He ran as fast as he could, lungs and throat searing with the effort, but it wasn’t fast enough. He could feel Kairi’s bitterness, her blame, following him. If he stopped running for even a moment, it would catch up with him and tear all that was left to pieces. And so, Sora ran.

He could still hear her voice, ‘No…’

The soft sand gave beneath his feet. He stumbled and nearly fell, scrambling to regain his footing. If he fell, the blame would catch up with him—and rightly so. It was his fault. Why was he even running? He should just lay down here and let it overwhelm him. However, his feet kept moving and he kept running.

A shadow fell across him.

Riku shouted, “Sora! Sora, stop!”

Sora’s bare foot struck a piece of driftwood and he went sprawling. Sand filled his eyes and his mouth. He breathed it in, choking and gasping. The weight of the sand seemed to fill him up with grit. He couldn’t get up—he didn’t think he could. He had no strength. He had never had any strength.

Cold surf smashed into his side, washing stones and shells into his eyes. There was more sand, blinding him and suffocating him. He forced himself onto his hands and knees, hacking and coughing. The cold water lapped at his hands, splashed against him. It was icy-cold, frigid, just like Kairi’s voice inside his head.

‘No,’ she had said. ‘No.’

“Sora!” Riku shouted. “Shit!” He landed hard in the sand and stumbled towards Sora.

The next wave came in higher with the tide and swallowed Sora up.

Riku didn’t hesitate to wade into the waves. He grabbed Sora’s shirt with both hands and wrest him out of the water. Sora didn’t fight, hanging limp in Riku’s grasp as his friend dragged him ashore. Dry sand stuck to both of them. Riku summoned a whirling blizzard in his palm and used it to wash the sand from Sora’s eyes and mouth. Sora coughed up a mess of sandy water and breathed raggedly from his desperate run. He didn’t look at risk of dying from his little bout in the ocean so Riku had no qualms with yelling at him.

“What the hell, Sora?” he demanded.

Sora didn’t offer any defense. He blinked, his eyes red-rimmed and half-blind with sand.

“You’re out of your mind,” Riku shouted. He shoved the frigid spell in Sora's face. “It’s not your fault. We’ve been over this.”

Sora flinched from the cold and reached to rub his eyes. “But, Kairi…”

Riku batted his hand away, thrusting the blizzard into Sora's fingers. “She’s all messed up, too.”

Sora silently held the spell against his eyes, blinking sand away. He didn't protest or agree.

Riku heaved out a sigh, the anger ebbing from him. It was no fun to yell at someone who wouldn’t fight back. “Get up,” he said. “We’ve got to get back.”

Sora drew the blizzard away from his face, blinking a few more times to clear his vision.

Satisfied, Riku let the spell drop. “Let’s get you rinsed off before we go back. Last thing we need is the whole beach in our ship.”

A little smile graced Sora’s mouth.

Riku hauled Sora to his feet. Together, they dragged through the sand back up to the boardwalk where there were showers and drinking fountains. Riku slapped one of the buttons aggressively and shoved Sora underneath it to rinse as much sand from him as possible. For his part, Riku stood to the side and began rigorously brushing himself off. He watched Sora from the corner of his eyes. Sora tipped his face into the water, gingerly rinsing his eyes and mouth again. He had a little cut on his cheek from a broken shell or sharp stone. The trickle of blood mixed with the water.

“Feel better?” Riku asked when the water shut off.

“I’m okay,” Sora said unconvincingly.

Riku decided not to unpack that now. “Can you see? Your eyes aren't bothering you?”

“Yeah, they're fine,” Sora assured him.

“Let’s go then,” Riku told him. “I don’t want to leave Kairi alone longer than I have to.”

Sora shuffled his bare feet against the boards. “She doesn’t want to see me,” he said sorrowfully.

“Too bad,” Riku said flatly. “You aren’t leaving my sight and neither is she. Let’s go.”

Sora shivered in his sodden clothes despite the morning heat. He hesitated, shifting from foot to foot.

“Come on,” Riku repeated.

“But—”

“No buts,” Riku scolded. “Come. Now.”

Reluctantly, Sora trailed Riku back to the Gummi Ship. Kairi’s voice repeated over and over again in his head, tormenting him.

“Keep up with me,” Riku called. “Sora, hey.”

Sora dragged his feet. What did it matter? What did any of it matter? She blamed him and that was all that mattered.

XXX

When I wrote this chapter the first time, as someone who hadn’t played Kingdom Hearts, I didn’t touch on any magic or gliding. Clearly, with my advanced knowledge, I now casually include Kingdom Hearts lore and magic rather than focusing only on what I assumed the characters were capable of.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	5. Change of Scenery

Wow! I used to be outrageously excited for reviews. [I still totally am, but I don’t think I gush about it quite as much.]

XXX

Riku marched Sora back to the Gummi Ship and found Kairi seated just where he had left her. Her blue eyes darted up when they entered, but she took one look at them and then focused on her lap. For his part, Sora didn’t look at her at all. Riku steered Sora into his room, demanded he change into something dry, and shut the door.

Then, he marched back over to Kairi, grabbed a chair from the kitchen table, turned it around, and sat backwards on it—partly to keep himself from jumping over it and throttling these two and partly to have something to rest his head on. He was getting a headache. It was too early for this and he hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep, staying up all night piloting the ship home.

A few minutes later, Sora emerged in dry clothes. His sodden hair still defied gravity. He picked his way through the Gummi Ship, dejectedly opened the fridge, stared into it a moment without taking anything, shut it, and finally sank down on the couch a safe distance from Kairi when Riku stared pointedly at him.

Silence stretched painfully, like a rubber band that Riku could feel was about to snap at any moment. While he was pursuing Sora, Riku had a thousand things he had wanted to say to both of them. Now that he had them both pinned down, he suddenly couldn’t think of anything.

All three of them sat, Sora and Kairi not looking at each other and Riku desperately looking between them for somewhere to start.

Riku began cracking his knuckles, willing himself to think of something to say. He saw Kairi flinch, as though expecting a blow, and Sora jumped slightly when she did. Riku rested his arms on the chair, unable to do anything. Hell, how did he go about even starting to repair their relationships? What could he say?

However, he was saved from further deliberation by the door to the Gummi Ship creaking open.

A shaft of sunlight flounced in, yodeling, “Yoohoo! Sora! Riku!”

Riku turned to greet Selphie with a breath of relief.

“Welcome back!” she said brightly. She closed the space between them in a single bound and gave Riku a bone-crushing hug.

The air rushed out of him, but it felt good regardless.

Selphie was wearing bright yellow work-out clothes, had her brown hair swept back from her face with a sparkling golden headband, and carried a jump rope. She was sweaty and grinning. “I was just out for my morning jog and thought I’d stop by. Any luck this time?” she asked, bouncing idly on the balls of her feet.

Riku’s pleased-to-see-her smile faltered. Nursing his ribs, he stepped slightly to the side and allowed Selphie to see past him.

The grin dropped from her lips and she breathed out, “Is that…?” The jump rope clattered from her limp fingers.

Kairi glanced at Selphie and Riku saw the recognition in her face an instant before fear took up root. Quickly, he scooted into Sephie's path to prevent her from giving Kairi the same overzealous greeting she had given him. He wasn't sure Kairi could take one of Selphie’s hugs right now.

“Don't even think about it,” Riku warned Selphie.

“But—” Selphie searched his face, her lips shaping out a protest. Kairi was her friend too. However, she sobered when he saw Riku's expression. “Okay.”

Satisfied, Riku stepped aside.

Selphie approached Sora and he rose to meet her, accepting a gentler embrace.

“Hey, Sora, how's it going?” Selphie asked, doing her best to focus on him and not let her eyes stray to Kairi. She rubbed his back briefly, feeling the dips and bumps of his ribcage.

“Fine,” Sora said softly. He squeezed her firmly, his face tucked down into her shoulder. He looked as comforted by Selphie’s hug as Riku had felt.

Selphie stepped back from him and spent a long moment looking between each of them. Finally, she ventured, “Hi Kairi.”

Kairi startled at her name, her head snapping up. Her surprise was almost more heartbreaking than the look in her eyes, like she hadn’t expected to be acknowledged—like she didn’t want to be seen at all.

“It's good to have you home,” Selphie said a little uselessly. All she wanted to do was swathe Kairi in her hugs and never let her go. How could someone have reduced Kairi to this frightened creature? Why would someone have done something so cruel? Where was the bright cheerful girl that Selphie remembered, leaving with Sora and Riku on a grand adventure? What had happened to Kairi while she was gone?

After a moment, Kairi wrest the fear and surprise from her face. She managed to smile just a little and said, “It's good to be back.” She hesitated, eyes darting between Riku and Selphie, and twisted her fingers nervously. Then, she asked timidly, “You're Selphie, right?”

Shock bolted through Selphie's chest. Kairi had forgotten her name? She glanced at Riku and he looked as shocked as she felt.

Seeing the emotions written on both of their faces, Kairi quickly fumbled to recover. She squirmed and fidgeted, clenching her hands into fists. Shamefully, she turned her face down and lowered her eyes to the floor. “Sorry, I—”

“No, don't worry about it,” Selphie interrupted hastily. She didn’t want to know what Kairi was about to do next. Would she grovel like a slave? “It's been a long time and I'm sure you've been through a lot. You're right. I'm Selphie Tilmitt.”

The tension went out of Riku's shoulders and he briskly changed the subject. “So, Selphie, how'd you know we were back?”

Selphie turned to glower at him. “Seriously? Was the giant spaceship moored at the edge of the island not a good enough indication? You know anyone else who drives one of these big tubs around?”

Riku huffed.

“Besides, Yuna told me this morning,” Selphie continued.

“We only got in last night,” Riku said incredulously.

Selphie shrugged. “Yuna knows everything.”

“How many other people know we’re back?” Riku asked.

“The usual suspects,” Selphie said. “Just your closest friends.”

“Then how come you know?” Riku asked jokingly.

“Hey!” Selphie protested good-naturedly. She mimed a little punch in Riku’s direction which he caught against his palm.

Riku chuckled, but it fell flat.

Kairi and Sora were twin voids—sucking all the happiness from the room with their anxiety.

Awkwardly, Selphie picked up her discarded jump rope.

“So, since Yuna already told everyone we were back, when's the party?” Riku asked.

“Tidus and Wakka are already planning it. Since they don't know you're staying yet…” she trailed off and glanced at Kairi. “They'll probably be ready this afternoon. Should I stop them?”

Riku shook his head. “Nah, a little party might be good for us.”

“You are staying, right?”

Riku glanced at Sora and Kairi before nodding. “Yeah.” Where else could he take them?

Selphie loitered, doing her best not to stare at Kairi but failing.

Riku gently took hold of her elbow and walked her to the door of the Gummi Ship. “Selphie, can you do me a favor?” he asked lowly.

“Name it,” she said.

“I think Kairi might need a little time apart from Sora and vice versa. Can you…?”

“Consider it done,” Selphie said. “She can stay with Yuna and me. It's a small apartment but we'll make it work as long as we need to.”

“Thanks.”

Selphie hesitated, twisting the jump rope around and around in her hands. “Um, Riku... where did you find her?”

“We'll talk about it later,” Riku promised, “when Kairi is ready. For now, all you need to know was that it was a very bad place.”

Selphie nodded, caught herself fiddling the jump rope, and stopped. “She's so skinny,” she murmured, “and she looks totally beaten down. My uncle rescued a dog from a fighting ring once and that dog looked like Kairi does now.”

Riku knew what she meant so he didn't judge her comparison harshly. “I know,” he agreed. “She's going to need a lot of help.”

Selphie’s gaze strayed again, thinking of the feeling of Sora’s bones in her arms. “And Sora?”

“He needs it too,” Riku agreed.

Selphie gave Riku one more crushing hug, let herself out, and disappeared into the morning sun.

…

After Selphie left, Riku gave up trying to talk to Sora and Kairi. He had no idea what to say.

Instead, he stepped into the kitchenette and started making breakfast. He needed something to keep his mind and hands busy so he pulled out all the supplies to make home fries from scratch. He dumped all the potatoes into the sink, scrubbed them vigorously, and then set to work peeling them. A few minutes into peeling the skins, Sora wandered over and began dicing them up. Sora was skilled with a knife, making tiny perfect cubes that would fry quickly and evenly. 

Kairi remained seated on the couch, carefully not looking at either of them or doing anything to draw their attention.

After a little while, Riku almost forgot she was there. The world narrowed and simplified until it was just him and Sora, cooking as they usually did in the time that they had spent searching. Sora passed off the sliced potatoes for Riku to season, pulled a package of cured bacon from the fridge, and started frying. Sora picked each slice out of the grease the moment it was cooked to perfection, all but one slice which he purposefully burned just for Riku.

Delighted, Riku enjoyed the over-crisp treat while he mixed the potatoes with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Sora primed Riku’s sauté pan with bacon grease. He glanced at Riku and smiled faintly, relaxed by the familiar motions of cooking. Then, his gaze caught on the back of Kairi’s head and Riku felt the tiny shard of joy evaporate from his friend. Sora turned his attention back to the pan and stared into it, cooking silently. He didn’t even make a sound when scalding grease dusted his knuckles and fingertips.

Riku handed him a paper towel, bidding him to wipe the stinging grease away, but didn’t say anything. He knew what Sora was thinking—that it was easier to bear the physical pain than the emotional turmoil. They were both like that, training to exhaustion rather than leaving energy for nightmares. Sadly, that strategy only assisted Riku. Sora had nightmares no matter how hard he worked his body.

Riku had hoped that Sora’s nightmares would stop once they found Kairi, but… it seemed that it wasn’t going to be that simple. None of this was going to be easy.

When the potatoes were finally fried golden brown and the bacon was finished, Riku nudged Sora off the greasy pan, wiped most of the mess out, and cracked some eggs into it. Sora watched Riku habitually. No matter how hard he tried, Sora was unable to master the art of flipping an egg without breaking it. Riku, on the other hand, was able to make perfect over-easy eggs every time.

Finished cooking, Riku portioned out the eggs and carried the bowl of fried potatoes to the table.

Sora brought the bacon and awkwardly circled, trying to find a place to sit that wouldn’t put him either in Kairi’s line of sight or next to her. However, it was a small square table that seated only four comfortably and there was no such place.

Riku pressed him into a seat, unable to stand the pacing. “What do you want to drink? Juice or milk?”

“Juice,” Sora said.

“Kairi, drink?” Riku called.

She startled and hastily got to her feet. “I-I’ll do it,” she offered.

Riku nodded assent and sat down to Sora’s right so that he was kind-of-in-between them.

Kairi took down three glasses, took the juice from the fridge, and carried everything to the table.

Riku pretended not to notice the way her hands trembled as she poured out the drinks. “Thanks,” he said and took a sip of cranberry juice.

“Y-you’re welcome,” Kairi said and slipped into her seat beside Riku. This put her directly across from Sora.

Sora’s mouth opened to thank her, but then he shut it. His knuckles whitened on his fork.

“Dig in,” Riku told them, both as invitation and instruction. He scooped a hearty portion of home fries onto Sora’s plate, spooned some for himself, and then did the same for Kairi. “Have more if you’re still hungry,” he told said sternly. On this front, at least, he knew what to say.

Kairi nodded and delicately began nibbling.

Sora broke his yolks and mixed everything together.

“Heathen,” Riku said to Sora.

Sora grinned, unable to help himself.

For his part, Riku ate his eggs first and used the home fries to mop up the mess when he finished.

Kairi was dipping each potato daintily into the lake of yolk.

Riku couldn’t help the little smile that graced his face. Things might not be easy, but at least he had them both back. He wouldn’t have traded that for all the full nights of sleep in the world.

…

Selphie returned a few hours later with Yuna in tow. Riku introduced them since Kairi had never gotten to meet Yuna before and didn't want her to work herself up trying to remember if she had. Yuna was a sweet and sensitive girl and Riku was glad that she had come along to take some weight off his shoulders, even if it was just for a little while.

“Alright Kairi,” Riku said gently. “Selphie and Yuna are going to spend some time with you, get you out of the Gummi Ship for a little while, okay? They can call if you need anything.”

Kairi nodded and nervously shuffled her feet.

“Anything you want to do first?” Yuna asked graciously.

“Hungry?” Selphie offered.

“We just ate,” Riku told her.

Selphie smiled at him and then asked, “Want to go shopping?”

“Um, actually,” Kairi ventured. It felt a little easier to speak without Riku hovering over her. “Could we go to the beach? I… I want to see the ocean.”

“Sure,” Yuna said. “I love the beach.”

The trio stepped out into the sunshine together.

Kairi tipped her face into the golden sunlight in bliss, breathing deeply. She followed Selphie and Yuna, little bits and pieces coming back to her as they walked. Things had changed on the island. A storm had knocked over a palm tree there, an ice cream cart was no longer on the corner here, and a boardwalk with showers had been added. Kairi looked around, trying to commit all the new things to memory. She caught herself thinking that she might never see them again.

Yuna and Selphie paused to take off their shoes, but Kairi was barefoot. She waited patiently and then followed them to the shoreline. Selphie waded almost knee deep in the water, searching for shells beneath the tumbling waves, but Yuna hung back with Kairi. Though she didn’t speak, Yuna’s presence was a comfort.

Kairi closed her eyes and spread her hands. She smiled into the sun. The ocean breeze kissed her, bringing the salt-spray and the scent of the sea. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with the familiar smell of Sora. Immediately, the thought sobered her and she swallowed the lump that welled in her throat. He had searched tirelessly for her and she had been so cruel. She could still see the moment that she'd hurt him. It was so clear—how his face had broken into so many pieces, how his beautiful eyes had dimmed, how his mouth had twisted downwards as he bit his lip. She felt sick with the memory.

Kairi suddenly wished she hadn’t eaten so much but Riku’s cooking was delicious and she couldn’t remember the last time she had bacon. She pressed a hand to her belly, trying to quiet the nausea. Her fingers dipped low. Even through the borrowed sweatpants, she could feel the crest of dark magic that had stolen her fertility. It ached like a scar. The reminder of it, living on her skin even now, made her sicker. Some things wouldn’t—couldn’t—be healed. Was her relationship with Sora one of those things?

“Are you alright?” Yuna asked gently.

Kairi straightened up hastily and forced a little smile. “I'm fine.”

As though to escape Yuna's cautious gaze, Kairi stepped into the waves. The cold water lapped at her ankles and sand squished up between her toes. She began to sink, each wave pulling more and more sand from beneath her feet. She stumbled backwards and stood where the sand was firmer, gazing at the surroundings she half-remembered. At least the ocean and the sand looked the same.

To her right, there was a set of running footprints and a place where one had fallen. A second set joined it, having landed from above. Together, both sets returned to the boardwalk.

Riku and Sora, Kairi realized. When Sora had gone running from the ship, he had come here.

Kairi chewed her lower lip. She heard Yuna move and was a little surprised when the girl walked past her, wading into the waves with Selphie. They gave her space, a moment to breathe, to think.

For a long moment, Kairi stared at the breaking waves. She drank in the sunlight and the beauty that she had missed. The sea was the same color as Sora's eyes and again she felt terrible for what she had done. She had waited for him for so long, she had never stopped believing that he was searching for her, and now that he had found her...

She had to fix this. She had to go to him and tell him that she was sorry. She knew it wasn't his fault. He had done all that he could.

A tiny part of her did still blame him. He had been right there and he hadn't saved her.

But...

The pills felt heavy in the pocket of the borrowed jacket. For a moment, she thought of throwing them into the churning waves. She knew doing so would make Sora suffer and she wasn’t sure if she wanted that, but she didn't want him to need them anymore. She wanted them both to get better. She wanted them both to go back to the way things were before.

Torn, she did nothing.

Kairi shivered as the chilly ocean licked up her shins. She drew Sora's jacket tighter around herself and imagined for a moment that it was his arms around her. The imaginary sensation didn’t soothe or unsettle her—maybe because it wasn’t real. Undecided, she stepped out of the cool water and stood on the warm golden sand. Yuna and Selphie were speaking quietly and Kairi waited for them to realize she was ready to go.

After a moment, Yuna noticed and the two of them waded back over.

“Ready to go?” Selphie asked.

“Yeah,” Kairi murmured.

“Let's get you some real clothes,” Selphie continued, “and we'll meet up with everyone for dinner, okay?”

Kairi nodded and followed them through the sand. She walked alongside Sora’s running footprints, careful not to step into them.

Once they stepped onto the boardwalk, they paused to catch their breath. Kairi was thin, but out of shape from lack of space. Her feet and legs ached even from such a short walk. It seemed like centuries ago that she had been able to run through the sand and almost keep up with Sora and Riku, since she had fought, since she had worked magic or summoned her Keyblade. She stared at her hands, wondering if she could do either of those things now—or were they lost to her forever? Was Sora lost to her now?

Drawing Kairi from her spiraling thoughts, Yuna remarked, “There's a storm brewing.”

Selphie paused on the boardwalk, shading her eyes with one hand so she could squint into the sun. “Oh man,” she said. “I hope it holds off. I don't want to get rained on.”

Kairi turned to stare at the dark clouds brewing on the horizon and the pit of her stomach grew colder.

…

“Pack some clothes,” Riku told Sora after the girls departed. “I think it’ll do us all some good to have a change of scenery.”

Sora stared at him, his lips parted in protest, but he must have seen something in Riku’s face that brooked no argument. He creaked off the couch and headed to his room, bare feet nearly silent.

Riku listened at the door for a moment to make sure Sora was actually packing and heard the rustle of clothing. Content, he went into his own room and began to pack the essentials. He straightened up the mess of blankets Sora had slept on the night before, folding them neatly and laying them at the foot of his own bed. When he finished and shouldered his duffel bag, Riku found Sora was already waiting for him. He had his bag at his feet. He had put on his shoes, but he looked small and naked without his armored jacket.

Sora looked over when Riku emerged and hastily swiped at his eyes. He didn’t look like he had been crying, Riku thought, but he looked as though he could start at any moment. Riku felt terrible for both of them. They were so messed up. Sora blamed himself and Kairi probably wanted something to blame. It was just a bad situation all around.

Sora got to his feet laboriously, the weight crushing him down. He swallowed several times before finding his voice to ask, “Ready to go?”

Riku nodded.

There was a hollow rap on the door of the Gummi Ship and it slid open, letting in bolts of sun.

“Sora, Riku!” Selphie called.

“In here,” Riku said.

Yuna, Selphie, and Kairi stepped inside. They were damp and sand-speckled from the beach, Selphie more so than the others. Kairi looked small in Sora’s jacket, the hems of her sweatpants were wet, and her face was flushed. Riku breathed deeply, soaking in the scent of the ocean that clung to them.

“Riku?” Selphie asked. “Can I have a moment?”

“Sure.” Riku glanced at Sora and then Yuna before following Selphie outside.

The door shut after them. The ship felt small and secure, quiet without Riku in it.

Yuna folded her hands in front of her, rocking slightly on her feet as she studied the interior of the Gummi Ship.

“Um, Yuna,” Kairi ventured. Shame clogged her throat and she struggled to clear it. “Can I just… Can I have a moment with Sora? Alone?”

Sora looked more alarmed than Yuna at her request.

Yuna glanced between them and her mismatched eyes were slightly unsettling when they lingered on Kairi. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I could stay, if you like.”

“It’s okay,” Kairi said. She swallowed and firmed her voice because she knew it was true. “I’m okay with Sora.”

Yuna nodded thoughtfully. “Alright,” she relented. “I’ll just step into the bathroom and freshen up. I’m close if you need me.” She settled her eyes on Sora, a smile touching her mouth. She added, “If either of you need me.”

Together, Sora and Kairi watched her walk away. The bathroom door clicked shut but didn’t lock. Water started to run, giving them privacy while they spoke.

Kairi shuffled her feet nervously and then took several strides towards Sora. He looked as though he wanted to back away from her, but held his ground instead. As close to him as she dared, Kairi dropped to her knees and then spread herself at his feet. The bow was low, her fingers inches from his boots and the tips of her toes touching the cool floor. Eilonwy had taught her how to properly beg for forgiveness. It had rarely saved Kairi from a particularly rough client or a punishment at Dom’s hands, but she wanted to try it now.

Sora sucked in air sharply. “Kai…”

“I am sorry,” she told him. “It’s not your fault.”

Sora dropped to his knees with a thump before her, the strength going out of him.

Kairi felt a pang of sympathy in her own joints from the sound. She cringed into the floor, her past experiences at odds with what she knew about her friend. Sora would never hurt her.

He laid his hand on her back gently and tugged on her shirt. “Kai, don’t,” he whispered. “Don’t kneel. Don’t beg. Don’t apologize… not to me.”

Slowly, she scraped herself from the floor and searched his face. Sora’s hand followed her up and rested lightly on her shoulder once she was kneeling. Kairi glanced at his hand and he began to draw it away. She reached for it and he allowed her to grasp his fingers. She couldn’t tell if she was shaking or if he was.

“It’s okay,” she said softly and ran her thumb over the back of his hand. “It wasn’t your fault. I was just afraid. I wanted someone to blame.”

“You found the right person,” Sora said sadly. “It was all my fault. I should have—”

“No,” she protested. She reached for him, to touch his face, to draw his gaze to hers, but hesitated and then returned to his hand without touching anything else. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry.”

Sora regarded her. His blue eyes glittered like glass. “Why are you sorry?”

“I hurt you and… all you’ve ever done is save me,” Kairi told him. “Riku told me about… what happened after I was gone.”

Sora breathed in shakily, the memories assailing him. He had attacked Riku in a desperate frenzy, trying to continue his wild search for Kairi. Just yesterday, when they finally found her, Sora had attacked her kidnapper with all he had. He could still feel Riku’s body breaking against his own, driving him to the ground. He reached to touch the wound at his temple, the one he hadn’t healed. The physical pain was welcome compared to this emotional twisting in his stomach.

“So… this is because of Riku,” he murmured.

“I’m so sorry, Sora,” she whispered. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Sora’s eyes touched her like a physical caress and Kairi shuddered but forced herself to hold his gaze. She felt as though he could see into her, could see through her clothes and skin and into her soul. She wondered what he saw. Sora stretched out his free hand, the one she wasn’t already holding tightly, and offered it. Hesitantly, Kairi put her palm into his, feeling the warmth of his skin.

All at once, healing magic spread from his palms. It washed, warm, up her arms and over her shoulders. It slipped down her back and over her legs, winding deep inside her chest. It was foolish to think that it was healing the damage to her psyche, but Kairi felt countless aches and bruises melt away. She had lived like that, battered, for so long that she almost didn’t recognize her body when the magic faded. 

Awed, she stared at her wrists, which were no longer wrapped with bracelets of bruises where people had gripped her, held her down, or shackled her. The residue of the magic left her feeling pleasantly warm and comfortable. She couldn’t deny that she felt a little better. She felt a little different, more whole, without the pain that she hadn’t realized that she lived with on a daily basis.

Sora remained kneeling before her, the wound on his temple standing out painfully now that Kairi was healed. She wanted to offer him some magic in return, but couldn’t remember how to summon any nor did she dare try. What if she could no longer do it? She hadn’t summoned her Keyblade once after she had been taken.

She was damaged now, but that wasn’t his fault.

She doubted that she could be fixed anymore and that wasn’t his fault either.

However, he had his own problems—his own scars. It wasn’t fair of her to drag him down with her troubles.

Gingerly, she drew her hands from his and said again, “I’m sorry.”

Sora gazed at her mournfully, but didn’t try to pull her back even though it looked like he wanted to.

Kairi climbed to her feet and found that the weakness in her legs had been mended by Sora’s magic. She backed away from him, her hands held at her sides.

Sora rose as well. He shifted restlessly as though he wanted to heal her, touch her, hold her again.

The door to the Gummi Ship opened as Riku and Selphie returned. Riku stared at the two of them for a moment, uncertain, but Selphie shouted mindlessly for Yuna. The young woman emerged from the bathroom and didn’t comment on the new distance between Sora and Kairi. They all clustered together around the couch.

“Well, let’s go,” Selphie said finally and beckoned Kairi to follow her.

Riku called for Sora. “You ready?”

They all stepped out of the Gummi Ship. Yuna and Selphie led Kairi downtown to take her shopping while Riku guided Sora up the slope towards Wakka’s and Tidus’s apartment. They each looked back, blue eyes meeting and holding until they were pulled apart. It felt as though an ocean had come between them.

…

Once they rounded a bend that vanished the girls from sight, Sora picked up the pace. He strode ahead of Riku, his heavy boots kicking up sand. With the sunlight streaming on him, he looked pale, translucent and fragile, his veins showing beneath his caramel skin. Riku wanted to bundle him up and hide him away. He wanted to do the same for Kairi. He just wanted everything to go back to normal. He trooped along behind Sora, his bag swinging against his thigh.

When they reached to top of the slope, Sora pushed through some low foliage and stood at the peak of the cliff. He gazed out over the ocean, sunlight dappling his skin green through the palm fronds. Sora tipped his head back and breathed deeply, spreading his arms to feel the breeze.

Riku saw some tension leave his friend. It was good to see Sora able to relax, even a little bit.

Though they stopped at Destiny Island frequently enough during their searches, they rarely stayed for more than a night. They checked in, just to make sure Kairi hadn’t miraculously made her way home without them, before heading right back out into their frantic search. Now that Kairi was safe, Riku hoped that Sora might finally get a chance to enjoy being home.

Riku paused beside him, looking at the glittering waves. It seemed like so long ago that he wanted to see what lay on the distant side of the horizon and now that he knew… Riku sighed, letting his breath out, his heart aching.

Without a word, Sora turned back through the foliage and resumed walking.

Riku followed. He allowed himself to look around, taking all the changes in as though seeing them for the very first time. Their island, it really was beautiful. The flowers were all in bloom, the cloudless sky went on forever, the sand was golden, and the sea was a clear perfect blue. People Riku had known all his life milled on the sandy streets. There was the ice cream vendor, the old woman he used to pull weeds for when he was a child, the old man who sold paopu fruits in the dead of summer, the beautiful blonde that Kairi used to scold him for staring at on the beach…

Riku’s lips pulled at the memories.

When they reached the bay side of the island, closer to town, Sora began to drag his feet.

Riku paused to study him and found that was looking around in bliss. His wounded-looking mouth, which had been pulled into a frown for so long, was finally curved with a faint smile. Riku didn’t have the heart to tell him to hurry up. Instead, he walked back to stand at Sora’s side and asked, “Are you happy to be home?”

Sora nodded. When he met Riku’s eyes, his smile was something similar to the one he had before Kairi was stolen. “Yeah,” he said softly. “It’s good to be back. I feel safer here.”

“It’s always been safe here,” Riku told him.

Sora cocked his head and murmured, “Not always.”

Riku glanced at him. “What do you mean?”

Sora shook his head and reached to push his bangs from his eyes. “Looks like there’s a storm coming,” he said instead.

Riku looked into the distance.

On the horizon, storm clouds were gathering.

XXX

Since I have now played Kingdom Hearts and know that Yuffie lives in Traverse Town/Radiant Garden, I decided to write her out and replace her with Yuna. [I know she’s with the Gullwings, but Tidus and Wakka are on Destiny Islands so she might as well be too.] I’m interested to see how that alters my plot since Yuffie is such a rambunctious character and Yuna is a little more soft-spoken.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	6. The Storm

Wow, looking at my old author’s notes is so nostalgic. I used to be so excited to write every chapter. I miss that. [I just haven’t felt like it since my dad passed. It’s been almost two years. I keep waiting for the desire to come back.] Oddly enough, I do feel eager to write this. Maybe because it isn’t true ‘writing’ but wholly a rewrite.

XXX

Selphie wanted to take Kairi to the mall. Yuna saw the expression on Kairi’s face when that was suggested—fear mingled with the desire to run. Kairi probably didn’t want to be around that many people. Quickly, Yuna intervened and suggested a thrift shop where she got most of her clothes. After explaining that it was small and more private, the bright sheen of fear left Kairi’s face. Selphie grumbled and stumped along behind them while Yuna led the way.

The shop proved to be sandwiched adorably between a little café with ivy crawling on the sign and a modern store that specialized in electronics. Yuna pulled open the glass door and let them all inside. Kairi stepped in and shivered in the rush of air conditioning. Selphie immediately set off wandering through the many overstuffed racks.

Yuna lingered with Kairi. “Don’t be overwhelmed,” she counseled kindly. “We’ll start small. Would you rather wear pants or shorts? Or something else like a dress or a skirt?”

Kairi thought of the mark low on her belly and then the heat outside. Pants were too much but she didn’t want to risk the exposure of a dress or skirt, even though she used to wear them daily. “Shorts,” she said to Yuna.

Yuna led her to the rack and they browsed it together. Yuna pulled off several pairs in different colors and softer materials while Kairi chose denim. She never used to wear denim but it felt sturdy under her fingers. She wanted to feel stronger, more protected, less exposed. If Yuna noticed her choices, she didn’t comment.

Selphie rumbled over to them with a shopping cart and Yuna loaded their options into the basket.

“Shirts?” Selphie asked. “Or tank tops?”

“Or long sleeves,” Yuna offered.

Kairi momentarily thought of the bruises on her back from being violated on the floor before remembering that Sora had healed her. “T-shirts would be fine,” she said.

This time, Selphie stayed with them while they browsed. She kept pulling funny t-shirts off the rack and holding them up to her chest, smiling. Kairi smiled at her a few times, idly selecting the shirts with the softest cotton. Yuna followed her lead, holding up each shirt for her inspection as she found it. Kairi was a little too shy to decline each article. Soon, the cart was nearly overflowing.

Yuna clapped her hands lightly. “Alright, that’s enough for now.”

Selphie took the handles and steered it towards the dressing room.

Yuna sorted through the variety of shorts and shirts, paired them into outfits, and handed a small selection to Kairi. “Go ahead and try them on,” she said. “Don’t get overwhelmed, okay.”

Kairi fingered the price tags. “I don’t… I don’t have any munny,” she said softly.

Selphie smiled easily. “Don’t worry,” she told Kairi. “Riku gave us some before we left so get whatever you like.”

Kairi backed into the dressing room and closed the door.

Selphie and Yuna stood together, listening to the rustle of clothing.

“Yuna?” Selphie ventured.

Yuna hushed her. The barrier of the dressing room door was nothing. Kairi would still be able to hear every word they said and the last thing she needed to hear was whatever was making Selphie nervous. “So, Selphie,” Yuna said exaggeratedly. “What do you think the boys have up their sleeves now that there’s an excuse for a party?”

Selphie stared at her for a moment, puzzled, before she realized what Yuna was doing. “Oh,” she said hastily. “I don’t know. Probably too much food and drink as usual.”

Yuna laughed and fingered the beads in her hair.

The dressing room door creaked open and Kairi stepped timidly out, showing off a red shirt emblazoned with white wings and denim shorts. “How does this look?” she ventured.

“Great!” Selphie said a little to enthusiastically.

“Anything else fit you?” Yuna asked as she exchanged a few articles of clothing with Kairi over the basket.

Kairi shook her head. “Everything was a little too… big,” she admitted.

Selphie made a little sound, her eyes darting to Kairi’s thin legs and arms.

Kairi slipped backwards and closed the door between them.

Yuna shot Selphie a glower.

Selphie held her hands up in defeat. She had been too surprised to hide her reaction.

Yuna resumed their conversation about the upcoming party and smoothly transitioned it to the groceries they needed to pick up for the apartment. Selphie followed along, mechanically returning the clothes Kairi didn’t like to the racks. The pile of clothing that fit Kairi was distressingly small. By the time Kairi worked her way through the entire basket, she had a paltry two pairs of shorts and four t-shirts.

Yuna returned the last articles to the rack without comment and folded the ones that had fit over her arm. “Shoes?” she asked Kairi.

Kairi wiggled her bare feet. “Definitely.”

They picked along the wall of shoes until Kairi found a pair of lace-up sandals and some ankle boots with too many buckles. Selphie returned with a packet of discounted white socks to go with the boots and held them up triumphantly.

“We’ll get you some underwear somewhere else,” Yuna said to Kairi as they lined up at the register.

“Oh, that’s fine,” Kairi said. She was only half-listening, her eyes nervously scouring her purchases where they hung over Yuna’s arm. “I’ve gotten used to not wearing any.”

Selphie dropped the socks.

Yuna hesitated only an instant too long—just long enough for Kairi to realize what she had said.

Kairi froze, stunned, and then folded in on herself. “Sorry,” she said hastily. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to say…”

“It’s fine,” Yuna said quickly. “It isn’t your fault, Kairi.”

Selphie’s mouth reconnected and she quickly jumped in. “None of this is your fault, Kairi,” she added.

Kairi shuddered.

It was their turn to check out and the cashier stared at them curiously.

Yuna ignored her and focused on Kairi. “Don’t apologize,” she said firmly. “You didn’t ask for any of this.”

Kairi flinched. “I didn’t fight either,” she said softly.

“Could you have?” Selphie asked.

The question jarred Kairi and her indigo eyes widened. “I tried,” she said insistently. “But I couldn’t summon my Keyblade or any magic.”

Yuna touched Kairi hesitantly and when Kairi didn’t pull away, she carefully hugged her. “You’re safe now and you have all the time you need to get better,” she said softly. “So, you just take all the time you need, okay? It isn’t your fault.”

Kairi was stiff for a moment and then hesitantly tucked her face into Yuna’s shoulder. It felt good to be hugged. Sora and Riku had rescued her, had taken care of her, but she wasn’t sure either of them had actually hugged her. Then again, she hadn’t really allowed them too—screaming in shock when Riku so much as touched her, shrinking from the new strangeness around Sora. Relieved, Kairi melted into the embrace and clung to Yuna.

Wisely, the cashier didn’t comment on the whole exchange. When Kairi finally peeled herself away and allowed Yuna to step up to the register, the young lady greeted them cheerfully and began ringing them up. Selphie immediately cut the tags from the sandals and offered her shoulder for support while Kairi put them on. Yuna gathered their bags and led them back outside.

The storm clouds had grown closer.

“Let’s get some lunch,” Yuna said, “before we get wet.”

Kairi scanned the horizon, unable to fight the little shiver that went up her spine. She hugged Sora’s jacket a little tighter around herself.

…

Uptown, Sora and Riku arrived at Tidus’s and Wakka’s apartment. Riku knocked, waited, knocked again, and waited some more. They could hear noise inside, including the sound of both young men yelling about something over the television. Riku pounded his fist on the door, but still received no reply. Finally, he just opened it and let himself in. He could immediately see the back of Wakka’s head peeping over the back of the enormous couch. There was a racing game on the TV and it looked like Tidus was actually winning.

“Hello!” Riku shouted at them.

Sora grinned at the exchange—some things just never changed.

“Hey guys,” Wakka greeted finally. He didn’t tear his eyes from the television. “Welcome back.”

Tidus didn’t respond to his guests, choosing instead to taunt Wakka. “You wanna pass me, but you can’t pass me—”

“He passed you,” Riku interrupted and leaned his elbows on the back of the couch.

“No!” Tidus wailed. He hunched forward over the controller, putting his whole body into it, as if that would help. “No!”

“So, what’s up?” Wakka asked from his lofty position at the front of the pack.

Sora helped himself to a soda from the fridge and wandered into the room, dropping into an overstuffed chair near the window. “We found Kairi,” he said without preamble.

“You what?!” Wakka yelped. He whirled around to face Sora.

Riku pointed at the screen.

Wakka glanced back over his shoulder in time to see Tidus sideswipe him and take the lead. “Oh man,” he groaned and then turned back to Sora. “But that doesn’t quite matter right this second.”

Tidus tried to gloat, but Wakka resolutely ignored him, even going so far as to put down his controller.

“You found Kairi?” Wakka repeated. “Where is she? How is she?”

Tidus paused the game and put his controller aside. “Is she okay?”

Riku rubbed the back of his head and glanced at Sora for help, but Sora didn’t look concerned. He sipped his soda and stretched languidly in the sunshine. As with Selphie, Riku didn’t want to just go around blurting what had happened to Kairi. That was her story to tell and he wanted her to decide how much of it she wanted to reveal to their friends.

“She’s okay,” Riku said finally. “But she’ll need time to recover before she can tell you about it.”

“Why?” Tidus asked with concern. “What happened to her?”

“She was kidnapped, remember?” Riku said flatly. “She’s had it rough. Give it a rest.”

Tidus opened his mouth to ask another question and Wakka put him in a headlock.

Suddenly, Sora’s whole body vibrated. He almost dropped his can of soda and hastily set about rummaging through the many pockets of his pants. Tidus and Wakka paused to watch the spectacle with interest as Sora pulled out countless little bottles of potions and ethers, compressed tents, and other assorted traveling paraphernalia but not the source of the vibrating. Finally, Sora produced the device from his back pocket and answered the Gummiphone breathlessly.

“Sora,” came Donald Duck’s nasally voice. “About time you picked up.”

“Sorry,” Sora said. “What’s up?”

Riku came around the back of the chair to peer at the screen. He saw Donald pass the phone to Goofy.

“Hey Goofy,” Sora greeted.

“Hi Sora,” Goofy said and there was a little hitch in his voice.

Immediately, Sora’s eyes narrowed. He sat up straighter, leaned forward over the communicator, and asked, “What happened?”

“Bad news,” Goofy said slowly.

“What is it?” Riku asked, his voice a shade less anxious than he felt.

“It’s about Kairi,” Goofy said.

Sora’s fingers whitened on the phone.

“The man that held her prisoner, Dominic Salazar, has managed to escape. He hijacked a Gummi Ship and jumped worlds. We haven’t been able to trace him. Chip and Dale have been looking, along with King Mickey and Yen Sid, but there’s no trace of him.” The little screen wobbled and Goofy held up a sheet of ragged paper. “He left this.”

‘Key Bearer’ had been crudely written on the front, no name, but they all knew it must have been for Sora.

Goofy opened it, spreading the paper on a desk. He held the phone steady so they could read it. The handwriting was jagged and quick.

‘I’m coming for her. You won’t save her. I’ll destroy her.’

Goofy pulled the phone back quickly, searching Sora’s expression through the little screen. “Sora?”

“How did he get out?” Sora asked.

“Dark magic,” came Donald’s voice again.

Goofy angled the phone so Sora could see both of them.

“He used a lot of dark magic to rip a hole through his cell, knocked out the police assigned to him, then found a ship, and jumped worlds,” Donald explained. He flapped about, molting feathers in a way that betrayed his concern.

“Thanks, guys,” Sora said quickly. “We’ll take it from here. We’ll keep her safe. Keep looking on your end. Let me know the second you find anything.”

“Of course,” Goofy said. He looked like he wanted to say something more, to offer Sora words of comfort, but Sora ended the transmission.

“We have to go,” Sora said to Riku.

They bid a hasty farewell to Tidus and Wakka, grabbed their bags, and hustled back to where the Gummi Ship was docked. The storm was closer now, bringing with it the scent of rain and a stiff breeze. The wind whipped at them, but Sora didn’t move in the face of it. He stood for a moment, face turned to the sky like a hunter scenting prey.

“We’re putting everyone in danger by staying here,” Riku told Sora. “We should take Kairi and get out of here.”

Sora met Riku’s gaze and shook his head. “We can’t just go.”

“Why?” Riku demanded.

“If we run, he’ll chase us and it’ll never be over,” Sora said firmly. “Kai will never be safe as long as he’s out there, hunting her.”

Riku kicked a stone near his feet. If Kairi never got better, then Sora never would either. “Shit,” he bit out. “It won’t take him much time to find us with dark magic on his side. We’ve got to hurry.”

Sora tapped his thumb across the phone screen and Riku heard it ringing. “I’ll call the girls and have them meet us at the ship,” Sora said. “It’ll be safest if we take him on there. The Gummi Ship is no collateral damage.”

“Right,” Riku agreed.

Sora drew the phone down from his ear. “Yuna didn’t pick up.”

“Try Selphie.”

Sora put the phone back up and waited, listening. “She didn’t pick up either,” he said after a moment and put the phone back in his pocket.

“You don’t think he already got to them, do you?” Riku asked. Ice went through his stomach.

Sora glanced at Riku, dropped his bag, and kicked off. He took off at a low streaking glide, leaving Riku scrambling in his wake. However, Riku caught up quickly and did his best to keep up with Sora. He didn’t want his friend to get ahead of him nor fall too far behind. He didn’t want Sora to come across Dom alone. Together, they landed outside Selphie’s and Yuna’s apartment. Music was playing loudly inside and they could hear laughter.

Riku rapped his knuckles on the door firmly.

Someone turned down the music and Yuna came to answer the door. “Riku?” she said with surprise and then immediately sobered when she saw the expression on his face. “I’m sorry. We were having fun and we must have lost track of the time. Did we worry you?”

Sora nudged past her and looked around. They were baking cookies. The apartment was warm and smelled wonderful. Selphie emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands, and he could hear the distant whump-whump of the washing machine running. However, he didn’t see Kairi and his heart somersaulted unpleasantly. “Where’s Kai?”

“She stepped out for a second,” Selphie said. “She said she wanted to see it start raining.”

Sora barreled past Riku and took off, gliding as high as he could, scouring the earth for her once again.

Riku tried to follow but Yuna locked her fingers around his elbow. She was surprisingly strong.

“What happened?” Yuna demanded.

“The man who kidnapped her got out of custody. We think he’s looking for her,” Riku said hastily and tried to pull away. “If someone comes looking and you don’t know them, call us right away. Be safe.”

“Done,” Yuna said icily.

“We’re going back to the Gummi Ship,” Riku explained. “Call the moment something seems off.”

“Do you want us to help you find her?” Selphie asked.

Riku cast his eyes at the cloudy sky. “Sora will find her,” he said confidently. “I’ve got to catch up. See you.” With that, he streaked away and gave no chance for further protests.

Yuna closed the door behind him and turned to face Selphie with concern. There was the scent of something burning and Selphie raced to take the ruined cookies from the oven. Outside, the first peal of thunder split the sky, followed by a flare of bright lightning. The power flickered twice, but didn’t go out.

…

Sora tore through the sky, skimming the tops of palm trees and ripping the fronds as he gusted by. They were sharp and he felt something slice into his leg, but didn’t land to investigate or waste energy healing himself. He kept gliding, streaking as high as he could, scouring the streets below for a familiar form. If he lost her again… if he lost her completely… Sora swallowed the choking stone in his throat.

Then, ahead of him like a beacon, Sora glimpsed red hair. Sora tucked his arms and legs in, prying more speed from his magic. He landed hard on the sand but didn’t stumble. He took off running for the spot of crimson, lungs burning. He shouted her name, but the redhead didn’t turn to face him. He grasped her shoulder, pulled her around to face him, and immediately stumbled back.

It wasn’t her.

“What’s your problem?” the girl asked, not unkindly.

“Looking for someone,” Sora gasped out. “Sorry.” He ran again, churning up the sand.

Finally, in the distance, he recognized his own armored jacket. Kairi had the hood pulled up, keeping her hair out of her face. She was walking briskly, head down against the powerful wind. She looked as though she regretted walking out into a coming storm, shoulders hunched inwards.

Sora pumped his legs harder, losing traction in the dry sand. He was running too hard to get enough breath to shout her name. Instead, he quickened his pace further and leaped into a low glide to try to catch his breath. She didn’t see him yet, walking away from him the way she was.

Sora landed, stumbled, and finally gasped her name, “Kai!”

She snapped around, eyes wide with panic before she recognized him. “Sora?”

He came to a stop beside her, panting, and took her hand. His grip was hard and cold. He looked around and then tried to take off at a glide.

Kairi’s weight held him back, jerking him around by the shoulder. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“Back to the Gummi Ship,” Sora told her. “It’s not safe.” His cold sweaty fingers dug into her.

She winced. “You’re hurting me,” she said softly.

Sora dropped her hand, reached for her again, and then hesitated. “We have to go,” he said. “It’s not safe.”

“Why?” Kairi asked and rubbed her fingers. “Because of the storm?”

Thunder rumbled overhead.

Sora took a step towards her.

Kairi stumbled backwards a step and fear lit up in her eyes. “Tell me.”

It started to rain—a fine mist that settled on Kairi’s bare arms and in Sora’s hair.

“We have to go,” Sora said again. He didn’t really want to tell her that Dom had escaped and was coming for her out in the open like this. He wanted to break it to her gently and safely, in the Gummi Ship with the doors closed against the storm and Riku there. “Please, Kai.”

Through the coming rain, Sora saw a masculine figure running up the beach. The hairs on the back of his neck rose.

Sora grabbed Kairi again, pulling her forward with him.

She struggled against his hold. She dug in her heels, but the soft sand gave way. “Let me go!”

The fear in her voice cracked something inside Sora's chest and he let go immediately.

Kairi had been straining against his hold and her feet went out from under her when he abruptly let go. She stumbled, lost her footing in the sand, and fell hard on her back. The wind rushed out of her and she stared up at him in surprise. Rain pattered on her cheeks, sliding down like tears.

Sora's blue eyes darted from her face to the silhouette of the man behind her. He was closer now—too close.

“Hey,” the stranger called. “You guys alright?”

The rain began to drive harder, blurring Sora's vision. So close, Sora could almost taste dark magic. His heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. He inhaled sharply, sucked in rainwater, and coughed into his hand.

Kairi turned her head and glanced at the stranger. More fear came into her face. “Um, yes,” she said weakly. “We're fine.”

The stranger bent down into her space. “Are you sure?”

“Kai,” Sora protested. “Let's—”

“Kai?” the stranger repeated. Delight washed across his mouth, spreading a wicked grin. Dark magic flared, rolling off his body in waves.

Pain speared through the mark on Kairi's lower abdomen, Dom's scar. She shrieked, scrambling backwards through the driving rain. Lightning flashed and her face was chalk-white with terror.

The stranger reached for her. Darkness leaped off his fingertips.

“Don't touch her!” Sora shouted. In a riot of sparks, Oblivion came into his hands and he slashed between them.

The stranger threw himself backwards nimbly. He chuckled wickedly, eyes gleaming in the spark of lightning. “Oh, you going to protect her this time, Key Bearer?”

Kairi gasped, horror welling up inside her throat like a stone. She wanted to scream but couldn't.

Sora lunged at the stranger, viciously crashing the Keyblade into the side of his head.

The dark magic vanished as though it had never been.

Panting, Sora rolled the stranger over. He didn't recognize him, but he had been away from Destiny Island a long time. Had Dom sent him—sent him for Kairi? Sora swiped rainwater from his face and returned to Kairi's side. He cast an aero charm over them, shielding her from the driving storm.

Kairi's view of the crumbled man was blocked. Trembling violently, she stared up at Sora. “H-he,” she sputtered, “he h-had Dom's dark magic.”

“It isn't safe,” Sora insisted. “We have to go. Please, Kai.”

Tears rolled unchecked down her face. “H-he's back for me.”

“I'll protect you,” Sora promised. He dropped to his knees in the wet sand before her. “I promise.”

Weakly, she whispered, “But... you couldn't protect me before.”

Sora flinched as though struck.

Kairi pressed her hands to her face, weeping openly. She curled into Sora's jacket, trembling.

Lightning struck the sand a few feet from them, turning it to glass and filling the air with a scorched scent. Sora jolted, pulled from his downward spiral of thoughts by the much more present danger. He cast another aero over the unconscious stranger to protect him from the rain and lightning.

“We have to go,” Sora told Kairi.

She didn't even look at him, sobbing into her hands. She was muttering, whispering, pleading.

“I'm going to pick you up,” Sora said. He gathered her against his chest, tucking one arm under her knees and another around her back. She squirmed, fighting his hold, but Sora squeezed her tightly to him. He could taste her fear and only prayed that it wasn't of him. He took off at a glide, staying low to avoid the lightning.

Finally, the Gummi Ship came into view. Riku stood at the doorway, his silver hair a beacon in the storm.

Sora crashed through the threshold, skidding on the metal floor in his wet boots.

Riku slammed and locked the door. “What happened?”

Without the noise of the storm and the rushing wind, Sora realized Kairi was almost screaming. She sobbed loudly, gasping and crying, whimpering and moaning. She wrest herself from his arms and Sora hastily set her down, feeling branded wherever he had touched her. She crawled into a corner and curled there, both arms wrapped around her legs. Sora dropped limply to his knees, staring at his naked hands. His entire body was soaked and trembling, freezing in the air conditioning without his jacket. He stared at her, stricken.

“What happened?” Riku demanded.

Sora didn't answer.

Kairi kept crying.

Riku looked between them and chose Kairi. He crouched in front of her, reached for her, and then thought better of it. “Kairi?” he asked gently.

She lifted her tear-streaked face from her knees, took in the sight of him, and threw herself on Riku. She was soaking wet, like Sora, and icy-cold. Her entire body trembled like a leaf, her teeth chattering, her breath coming in little gasps, and her hair plastered to her face.

“What happened?” Riku asked her as gently as he could manage.

Kairi couldn't stop crying. She sobbed brokenly.

Riku ran his hands along her arms and back, trying to put some heat and comfort into her. Suddenly, he felt the bottle of pills in the pocket of the jacket Kairi was wearing. He realized that Sora hadn't been taking them. Cursing lowly, Riku gathered Kairi to his chest with one arm and dug the bottle out of the pocket with his free hand. He half-carried half-dragged Kairi into the bathroom and muscled her into the shower. He turned the warm water on without removing her clothes.

“Try to get warmed up,” he said. “I'll be right back.”

Riku closed the bathroom door and stomped over to where Sora had collapsed. Sora stared up at him blearily, his hair and clothes dripping all over the floor. Riku grabbed Sora's hand and slapped two pills into his palm.

“Take them,” he snarled.

Sora stared blankly at the pills for too long.

Riku wrenched Sora's face up, squeezing his cheeks and digging under his jaw. He pried Sora's mouth open and tipped the pills inside. He covered Sora's nose and mouth, half-smothering him, forcing him to swallow. Riku shoved the bottle into Sora's chest and stalked away. He left Sora on the floor in the middle of the Gummi Ship's living room.

Riku returned to Kairi. She was curled in the bottom of the tub, the warm water cascading over her and bringing some color back into her face. Her blue eyes stared up at him, frightened. Tears or water rolled down her cheeks. Riku jostled her out of the tub, dried her off, and fetched some dry clothes from his dresser. He left her alone to change, leaning on the door.

Sora hadn't moved.

Riku didn't go to him. He was exhausted and he wasn't cut out for this. What more could he do for Sora? What could he do for Kairi? Riku took a deep breath and steeling himself. The best he could do was get them both through the next few days. Once this business with Dom was over, maybe Riku could get them both the help they really needed.

XXX

Questions, comments, concerns? 


	7. Healing and Destruction

Thanks for reading along with me everyone.

X X X

The storm raged outside the Gummi Ship well into the night. The ship rocked as though a beast was trying to force its way inside. Rain pattered against the windshield and windows like a thousand tapping fingers. Thunder roared and rattled the windows, drowning out the pounding of Kairi’s heart in her ears. In the flashes of lightning that illuminated Riku’s room, she scoured the corners for lurking monsters. She knew they were real—humans and Heartless alike.

Riku returned a moment later, having forced Sora into the shower right after her and then dragged him to his bedroom a few minutes after that. He was damp all over now, both from Kairi’s sodden desperate embrace and lugging both of them out of the shower. Kairi’s eyes watered anew at the sight of him, tracking slow paths down her cheeks, as a ragged little sob ripped from her. Riku sighed and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her back and holding her to his side. He didn’t speak. He didn’t seem to know what to say.

“Riku,” she sobbed. Her voice was hoarse from crying.

“Yeah?” he responded.

“I… I’m afraid,” she whispered. “I’m so afraid.”

“It’s okay,” Riku told her. “We’re with you. We won’t let him touch you. No one’s going to hurt you again.”

Kairi clung to his t-shirt, her knuckles whitening on the soft fabric. “What if—what if you can’t?”

Riku hushed her, rubbing her back soothingly.

“I… I’d rather die than go back,” she whispered. “I couldn’t take it again. I can’t take anymore.”

A terrible chill swept down Riku’s spine and settled in his stomach. “It won’t come to that,” Riku promised and then said without thinking, “If that bastard shows his face here, Sora will kill him.”

Kairi stiffened and her sobs renewed. “I’m scared of Sora,” she confessed.

Riku squeezed her tighter, his eyes straying to the closed door. Sora had been nearly catatonic after he dragged him from the shower and shunted him into his own room. However, Riku sent up a silent prayer to any god that would listen that Sora couldn’t hear Kairi now. “Don’t be scared,” Riku told her firmly. “Sora would never hurt you.”

She sobbed into him, sniffling, shaking all over.

Riku rubbed her back. “Sora would die to protect you, you know that, right?”

“But, he’s…”

Riku held her tightly, coddling her against his chest. He didn’t know what to say in Sora’s defense. It wasn’t untrue that Sora was still unstable, that his powers were well and truly strong enough to kill a man like Dom, that Riku could barely stop him if he set his mind to something like that. However, Sora wouldn’t hurt Kairi or anyone else he cared about. Sora had already proved that he would sooner die than let his friends be harmed. Kairi knew that, but her fear was washing all other thoughts aside like a raging current.

“Sora would never hurt you,” Riku repeated into her hair.

Kairi rested against him, her tears slowly fading. She settled her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. Riku continued to hold her, absently stroking a path from the crown of her head to her back. He felt her begin to grow heavy, to slump against him, as she fell asleep. He didn’t move, careful not to wake her, until he was certain she had fallen asleep. Then, he carefully got up and laid her down in his bed. Her fingers were still clutched in his shirt and she refused to let go, even in sleep.

Riku glanced again at the closed door, listening. He couldn’t hear Sora. Maybe he had gone to sleep or maybe he was just sitting out there in the dark, like a hunter waiting for prey.

Thunder crashed and Kairi flinched, whimpering faintly. Her grip on Riku tightened.

When they were younger, before all the magic and danger had come into their lives, it had been a competition. Riku had a little crush on Kairi and Sora was convinced she was the one. However, after Sora had sacrificed so much to protect both of them, Riku let go of any feelings he harbored. Kairi loved Sora and Sora loved her in return. It seemed fitting that they would be together. However, once Kairi had been kidnapped, Riku had to watch Sora crumble. He knew he should push Kairi away now, remind her of the love she had for Sora, of the love Sora had for her in turn.

But… with her curled warm and trusting in his arms, Riku couldn’t help but remember those sun-filled days in their youth. Those were joyful times and Riku wanted them back. Selfishly, he wanted just a taste of the happiness and light that used to fill his world when Kairi and Sora were both smiling at him on the beach of the play island. He was beginning to doubt that Sora would ever be that happy again, but Kairi… there was a chance she would be and Riku wanted that for her. He wanted that for himself.

With another glance at the closed door, Riku shook those thoughts from his head and let Kairi’s grip drag him into bed. He stretched out alongside her, feeling the heat rolling off her body. When the thunder roared again, Kairi buried her face into his chest and clutched him like a shield. Riku draped his arm across her protectively and drew the covers against her back when she shivered.

Through the rain-lashed window, Riku watched the storm until he fell asleep.

…

The storm was so loud that when it finally ceased, it woke Riku from a dead sleep. He lay in the dark for a few minutes, listening to the sounds of the Gummi Ship. His ears strained for the sounds of a creeping intruder, but he couldn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. The ship was quiet.

Beside him, some of the tension finally left Kairi. She loosened her grip on him and appeared to drop into a more restful sleep. Faint light from outside played on her features, hanging in the hollows of her throat and on the bell of her mouth. She, like Sora, had lost so much weight that her cheekbones looked like knives and carried so much sadness that her face was lined even in sleep. Riku brushed a stray curl from her face with his fingertip. She mumbled and rolled away from him.

Riku swung his legs out of bed and realized that his still-damp clothes were sticking to him unpleasantly. He glanced at Kairi, but she didn’t look like she was going to wake anytime soon. Rather than duck into the bathroom and risk the sound waking Sora—if he had even managed to fall asleep—Riku decided to quickly change right there.

Kairi whimpered.

Riku looked at her, concerned that she had woken.

Tears glittered on her lashes and her brow was pinched, but she was still asleep. He wondered what kind of nightmare she was having.

Riku peeled off his wet shirt and tugged on a dry one. He was just unzipping his pants when his bedroom door creaked open. Riku whirled on the door, ready to fight, but it was only Sora—giving in to some worry and checking on them in the night. It would have been sweet had Sora not chosen that exact moment to open the door.

Kairi was curled in Riku’s bed, wearing a pair of his boxers and one of his tank tops. Her legs were shapely and bare, her breasts just showing over the neck of the shirt, her hair fanned all around her head. It would have looked innocent, if not for the fact that Riku was changing his clothes.

“Sora, wait—”

Sora’s expression cracked and then went frighteningly blank. His expressive blue eyes darkened and bars crashed over them, hiding the turmoil that certainly raged up inside him. Sora didn’t speak, neither accusation nor plea. He bit into his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. With one final glance between them, Sora whirled around and ran.

“Sora, no!” Riku shouted at his back. He yanked up his pants, prepared to race after his friend.

Instead, Kairi snapped up in bed as though jolted with a live wire. She screamed shortly before hastily stifling the sound. She looked around wildly, eyes scanning the shadows. “No,” she whimpered out. “Here… he was here. Was he… here?”

Torn, Riku had to make a choice.

Riku had been tending Sora ever since Kairi had been stolen from them. He wrestled Sora down when he reached a frenzy of panic, he forced pills and food down his throat, he threw him into bed to make him sleep. Nothing Riku did ever seemed to help Sora. Even now, even after they had found Kairi, Sora wasn’t getting better.

But Kairi could still be helped. Riku believed that he could help her, could bring her back to the person she used to be, could make her whole again. But if he was going to do that, he had to let Sora wait.

Riku turned back to Kairi, sitting beside her on the bed once again. “You’re okay,” he soothed her. “You’re safe. It was just a dream.”

Kairi hesitantly put her fingertips on his bare shoulder.

Riku expected her to burrow into him the way she had before, but she held a little space between them. She was still wearing Sora’s armored jacket and she tightened it around her shoulders.

“What were you dreaming about?” Riku asked, trying to draw her against him for comfort.

Kairi shuddered. “It was a nightmare,” she said mostly to herself. Then, she asked Riku, “Wasn’t it?”

He nodded. “What happened?”

“He… Dom found me. He took me back,” she murmured. Goosebumps broke out on her bare arms and legs. “He put me back in silence until the end of my days. Sora didn’t come for me this time. I just… died there.”

Riku squeezed her, his heart tightening in his chest. “You’re safe,” he told her. “Dom didn’t come here. If he does, we’ll stop him.”

Kairi nodded mechanically, like she didn’t really believe it but didn’t have the energy to fight. She fingered the material of Sora’s jacket and then drew her bare legs closer. “Can I… have some more clothes?”

“Are you cold?” Riku asked, but went to his closet all the same. He pulled out a heavy sweatshirt and handed it over to her.

Kairi shrugged out of Sora’s jacket and pulled the sweatshirt over her head. It was frankly massive against her slender frame and fell almost to her knees. Mindlessly, she cuffed the sleeves until her hands were free. Then, she drew her legs up inside the shelter and warmth. She gazed at Riku, her eyes a shade of blue closer to Sora’s in the darkness.

…

Sora was there in the morning when they emerged for breakfast. His tired eyes raked over Kairi, over Riku’s too-big clothes on her. He looked away at the sight of her bare legs, but Riku’s sweatpants were too big for her. Riku saw Sora take two of his pills with orange juice and nothing else.

“Where’d you go last night, Sora?” Riku asked.

“For a run,” Sora said softly. “I had to go out.”

Kairi went to the windshield and looked out. The island was damaged, but only slightly. Palm fronds and coconuts littered the roads, sea creatures and assorted flotsam were beached on the sand, and the ocean was a stormy color. The islanders were already out and about, cleaning up the mess. She nibbled the toast Riku had buttered for her.

As the day went on, Kairi reclaimed a little bit of her old self. She chatted with Riku and smiled slightly though she never appeared to completely drop her guard. Riku gently explained that Dom had escaped his cell and was going to try to attack her. Riku promised that he and Sora would protect her.

Kairi’s eyes strayed, but she didn’t voice her doubts. Instead, she asked, “What about Eilonwy and the others?”

“Mickey alerted the proper authorities that Dom escaped. They’re being guarded. But it seems Dom is only targeting you,” Riku said finally.

Kairi shuddered, hugging her arms around her middle. “That’s… good, I suppose.”

“He won’t touch you,” Sora said coldly.

Kairi flinched.

Sora fell silent. He took two more pills with lunch and nothing else.

Riku wanted to say something to Sora, to insist he eat, to ask him how many pills he was supposed to be taking, to ask if he was alright. But Riku did none of those things. He focused on Kairi instead. She, at least, seemed to be coming back around and nibbled whatever he put on her plate.

Riku took Kairi down to the beach for just a little while before dinner. Sora trailed after them, his body like a shadow, like a shield. Kairi picked up a beached starfish and gently set it back into the waves. Then, she stood at the edge of the surf, staring out at the sea and the sky. She looked nervous and Riku came to stand with her.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, but it didn’t sound like the truth.

Riku didn’t press her. “Let’s go back,” he said. “What would you like for dinner?”

“I don’t know,” Kairi said and followed behind him. “Whatever you want.”

Sora brought up the rear.

Riku cooked dinner, dicing pineapple to add to a healthy fried rice. It was the kind of dish he had cooked back on that deserted asteroid while he was trying to save Sora. Out of habit, he put a big scoop on Sora’s plate and then Kairi’s. He sat across from Sora and dug in heartily while Kairi nibbled methodically.

Sora took two more pills. He picked the pineapple and bits of pork out to eat and nothing else.

Night fell.

Kairi stood at the window and looked at the wash of colors. She was beautiful like that, silhouetted against the sunset.

Sora stared at her.

Riku could see it in Sora’s face. He was losing himself again, slipping back into old habits. His eyes were hollow and tired, more like pretty blue glass marbles than the open expressive eyes Riku was used to seeing. He knew Sora didn’t sleep that night, instead choosing to sit out on the couch and keep watch for their enemy.

“Did you take any sleeping pills?” Riku asked before he tucked himself into his bedroom with Kairi.

“Two,” Sora answered.

“Can’t sleep?”

Sora shook his head.

“I’m here if you need anything,” Riku offered.

Sora nodded.

Riku found Kairi already curled on her side in his bed. Sora’s armored jacket was draped at the foot of the bed. She still had on Riku’s sweatshirt.

“Do you want me to sleep with you?” Riku asked.

She nodded into the pillows.

Riku toed off his shoes, lifted the covers, and climbed in behind her fully clothed. He couldn’t be sure if Kairi slept that night as he dozed off himself around midnight. He woke only once, to the sound of Sora crying out. However, the sound choked off abruptly and then Riku heard Sora in the bathroom. Nightmares, he realized, just like Kairi, but he didn’t get up to check on Sora. Kairi was warm and still, cuddled into the curve of his belly.

…

The next day, Sora was too exhausted to breathe. He tried taking his sleeping pills, but his nightmares woke him within an hour. He put another antidepressant into his mouth and swallowed it with a sip of water. His empty stomach clenched and he sipped a little more water. He hadn’t felt like eating anything. He recognized the cooking Riku had given him on that asteroid so long ago. It tasted the same—like hope and ash. He hoped Riku’s cooking could help Kairi in a way it had never helped him.

Kairi…

She filled his waking mind and the loss of her plagued his nightmares.

Sora tried not to be hurt that she found comfort in Riku. Sora tried not to be hurt that Riku comforted her.

He wanted to see Kairi get better. He wanted to see her smile and laugh again, even if it wasn’t with him, even if it hurt to see her drowning in Riku’s clothes. The fact that she chose to wear them, rather than Sora’s smaller size, said something about how revolting she much have found him. However, he was comforted that she hadn’t given back his armored jacket, even though she didn’t wear it anymore.

“Sora?” Riku asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Sora responded.

Riku’s green eyes studied him.

Sora knew he wasn’t getting away with the lie, but Riku didn’t try to fish the truth out of him as he would have before they found Kairi. Sora swallowed the stone that clogged his throat. Had Riku given up on him? Was he beyond help, beyond being worth helping? Or was Riku just focusing on Kairi, who needed his help more?

Sora couldn’t grudge Riku’s decision.

Kairi was smiling and talking a little more already. Riku was the kind of person who easily grew flowers even in the Gummi Ship. Kairi blossomed under his attention.

“Are you sure?” Riku asked again.

Sora jolted. He had been so lost in thought, gazing at Kairi as she slowly buttered toast, that he didn’t realize Riku hadn’t moved on. “Fine,” Sora assured him.

“I’m here for you,” Riku told Sora.

“Thanks,” Sora said. What else could he say?

Riku still looked concerned, but he went to join Kairi in the small kitchenette. He smiled warmly at her as he took the peanut butter and jelly out of the cabinet.

Sora sat with them while they ate breakfast, but couldn’t bring himself to eat anything. He took one pill. Riku suggested another walk on the beach and Sora trailed behind them, even though his legs shook with weakness. Sora followed them back to the Gummi Ship and retired to his room under the guise of trying to nap while Kairi and Riku played a game at the kitchen table. He couldn’t sleep, even though he took two sleeping pills. He lay awake, listening to the sounds of their voices.

When it came time for dinner, Riku knocked on his door and came to fetch him, but Sora feigned sleep. Riku left him. Again, Sora listened to them chatting and put another pill in his mouth. He swallowed it dry, feeling it scrape along his throat. Kairi talked more when she was alone with Riku. Sora even heard her laugh a few times at one of Riku’s terrible puns. Tears slipped from beneath his lids and rolled hotly down his cheeks. He took one pill, then another…

The bottle rattled empty in his palm.

…

Sora staggered to the bathroom sometime in the night. He felt sick to his stomach, but his limbs were leaden. It was only sheer will that got him out of bed and into the bathroom. He didn’t turn on the light, merely collapsed in front of the toilet. He heaved, but nothing came up. Cold sweat lathered his neck and back, plastering his shirt to him. He trembled violently, teeth chattered in the bone-gripping cold that clutched him.

“Sora?”

He retched again, startled, and tasted something bitter.

It was Kairi. She stood in the doorway, illuminated by moonlight. Her legs were bare beneath Riku’s sweatshirt and she curled her bare toes on the white tiles. “Are you… are you okay?”

He tried to nod, but nausea raked up from inside him. He clung to the porcelain bowl.

Kairi turned on the light.

It hurt his eyes and he whimpered, bowing his head into the cold surface.

“Sora?” She came closer, footsteps almost silent. He could feel the heat coming off her body.

Cold—why was he so cold?

She touched his shoulder gingerly and her fingers were like a brand. Her hand was so hot, burning hot. Sora shuddered, his teeth chattering when he tried to speak. She was so hot—she must have a fever. She needed help. He tried to call out for Riku, but retched again. His stomach hurt, throbbing and roiling as though filled with needles.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered.

He tried to tell her he was fine and to go back to sleep. Instead, a moan of anguish crawled from his throat. He doubled over the toilet, every fiber of his body feeling as though submerged in ice. He clutched his stomach as it tried to tear him inside out. He was so nauseous. Maybe be should have eaten something for dinner.

Kairi turned away.

Sora moaned at the loss of her.

“Riku!” he heard her shout.

He shuddered, teeth chattering, and clenched them. His jaw ached.

Then, Kairi was back. She fell to her knees beside him. Her hands hovered all around him. He could feel the heat of them, like little birds, that touched down nervously on his forehead and shoulders and back. His heart pounded and his throat tightened. He could hardly breathe—could hardly remember how. He tried to look at Kairi, but his vision spun and blurred. His stomach heaved.

“Riku!” she screamed.

Darkness encroached on what little he could make out. If not for Kairi’s red hair, he might not have been able to see her at all. Suddenly, he was consumed with the need to touch her, hold her, feel her—one last time. Sora reached for her blindly, desperately, and she clutched his hand. Her skin burned him, but he didn’t dare pull away.

“Riku! Please!”

Riku exploded into the bathroom, rumpled from sleep. “What is it? What happened?”

Kairi turned tear-filled eyes to him.

Riku took one look at Sora and knew something was wrong.

Sora’s eyes were glazed and unfocused.

Even as he watched, Sora’s eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled. For a second, all was still. Then, Sora’s entire body seized violently. His chest heaved and his mouth hung open in a desperate gasp. He tossed his head, slamming it into the floor with painful thuds. His limbs thrashed wildly, all except for the one that Kairi held to her chest.

Riku cast a healing spell, but it did nothing.

“Shit,” he swore. “Hold his head! He’s having a seizure.”

“Something’s wrong,” Kairi wailed. She caged Sora’s head in her lap, holding his shoulders down. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Riku shouted. “I’ll call an ambulance.” He darted away, leaving them alone.

After a minute that felt like years, the violent seizure abated and Kairi was left cradling his pale face between her palms. His chestnut hair was so soft on her thighs. His mouth jerked and gasped, as though he was trying to speak, but nothing came out. The wound at his temple had been healed by Riku’s spell, even if whatever this was hadn’t been. She ran her fingers across his brow and then placed them over his pulse. It was erratic and weak.

Sora was so still, lying there cold and stiff as a corpse.

What if he died?

What if he died right here in her arms and she had never…?

“Sora,” she whispered. “Please, no. Don’t go.”

Riku shouted and the door to the Gummi Ship crashed open. Blue and red lights played on the walls.

“In here,” Riku told them.

EMTs rushed into the bathroom. They swarmed around Sora, taking his pulse and his blood pressure. They said a lot of things that Kairi didn’t understand and didn’t want to hear. Their voices were pitched with worry and nothing they said sounded like good news. They bundled him onto a stretcher and took him away.

Kairi lurched after them, reaching out. “No, don’t… please.”

Riku caught her outstretched hand. “We’ll follow,” he told her.

The ambulance screamed away, its siren wailing.

Riku clutched her to his side and took off at a glide that took her breath away. The cold night air whipped at her exposed arms and legs. Kairi tried not to think of how Sora had flown with her in his arms. He had sheltered her from the wind with magic and his own body, even though she had fought him.

The hospital appeared before them as a glowing asylum. It looked like the kind of place to die. The ambulance was already there, but it stood empty. There was no sign of Sora and Kairi wasn’t sure if that was good thing or a bad one. Riku squeezed her a little tighter to his side, holding her steady as he landed.

Kairi whispered Sora’s name.

Riku glanced at her, surprised to hear so much emotion in her voice.

X X X

Questions, comments, concerns? 


	8. Aftershock: The Hospital

Whoa! Almost forgot to post this! It's been a rough Monday.

XXX

No one would tell them anything about Sora when they arrived. Instead, a pleasant nurse showed them to the waiting room. Riku asked Kairi to wait while he searched for a doctor, desperate for any information he could gather. Kairi found a chair in the corner where she could put her back to the wall and watch the entire room. She did so, drawing her legs onto the chair and fitting them underneath Riku’s baggy sweatshirt. She rested her chin atop her knees, eyes bright and alert. She fingered a lock of ruby-red hair that hung next to her ear, tugging on it absently to keep herself awake until Riku returned.

He returned a few minutes later, but his face was pale and haunted. He had taken a moment to compose himself and now bore two steaming Styrofoam cups. He settled down beside her and she saw his hands shake as he offered her the cup. “Here,” he said in a strangled way. “This will make you feel better.”

“I don’t drink coffee,” Kairi told him.

“It’s hot chocolate,” Riku told her.

Kairi accepted the warm cup and cradled it between her palms.

“Drink a little,” Riku said to her, “please.”

Kairi took a sip, but it tasted powdery and left her throat dry. It took a moment to find her voice again. “Where is Sora?”

Riku took a drink, but didn’t appear to taste how bad it was or maybe he had gotten himself a cup of coffee. “They’re… they’re pumping his stomach.”

Startled, Kairi squeezed the cup a little too hard. Hot liquid sloshed over her fingers.

Riku quickly took the cup from her and dried her fingers with his sleeve. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Kairi sucked a burned finger into her mouth. “I’m fine.”

Riku slouched in the seat, his face colorless and his eyes hollow. “A doctor is going to come talk to us in a little while, once Sora’s out of Intensive Care,” he told her. “Do you want anything else to eat or drink? I’ll get you something else.” He made to stand up.

Kairi caught his hand. “Stay with me,” she said.

Riku stared at their clasped fingers and took a tremulous sip of his drink. Finally, he appeared to notice the taste and scowled. He put both nearly-full cups aside and sat in the waiting room, holding Kairi’s hand, even though he wanted to pace or hunt for information. She caught herself running her thumb over a crest of scars on his knuckles comfortingly but didn’t stop. Riku squeezed her fingers a little more tightly.

After what felt like days, a doctor finally came to fetch them. His hair was neatly-styled and he wore thin wire-rimmed glasses. He glanced side to side, taking in the empty room, before approaching them. “You came in with Sora?” he asked.

Riku jolted to his feet, pulling Kairi with him. “Yeah,” he said and gave his full name. “I’m his emergency contact. This is Kairi. She’s family.”

“I’m Doctor Ignis Scientia. Why don’t you have a seat?”

“I’m alright. I’ll stand,” Riku said hastily. He couldn't sit any longer. “What happened?”

Ignis removed his glasses and focused wholly on Riku. “We had to pump his stomach because he ingested antidepressants and sleeping pills far beyond the safe threshold,” he explained. “Luckily, you found him just in time.” He studied Riku and Kairi before carefully gauging his next question. “Were you aware he was depressed?”

Kairi didn’t answer. She had found that bottle in his jacket pocket, but it seemed insane to think that Sora—the Sora she remembered—could ever be depressed.

Riku breathed out. “Yes,” he said. He couldn't look at Kairi. “I am aware.” To Ignis, he said, “Sora’s been on antidepressants a long time. He’s never taken too many before.”

Ignis nodded thoughtfully. “Beyond the overdose, Sora is also severely dehydrated. When was the last time either of you saw him drink anything?”

Riku rubbed the back of his head. “I mean, I saw him drink while he was taking his pills.”

“Has he been sleeping?” Ignis continued.

“I’m not sure,” Riku confessed. “I know he’s been pacing at night and he’s always had nightmares. He usually doesn’t sleep much.”

“Well, I’ve set him up on a nutritional supplement and a saline drip to rehydrate him. I’m going to recommend a new antidepressant for him and he should see a therapist after a suicide attempt like this—”

“What?” Riku interrupted. A dry laugh got caught in his throat. “Sora—Sora wouldn’t commit suicide.”

Ignis studied Riku for a moment. “You believe that?”

Riku hesitated, his eyes flitting to Kairi and back to the doctor.

“It would be best if Sora had someone to talk to,” Ignis continued. “Clearly he is under immense stress and it would be good for him to let some of those feeling out. I’d be happy to recommend someone, if you like.”

“S-sure,” Riku relented.

“Can we see him?” Kairi asked softly.

“I believe that’d be best,” Ignis said. “He woke briefly and asked for you. He’s in Room 105 now. Do try not to disturb him.”

Kairi took Riku’s hand and towed him away. Her bare feet slapped lightly on the tile. She followed the signs and located the room. The door was open a crack and she could hear a steady beeping from inside. She let go of Riku and gently opened the door. It was bright inside, immediately allowing her a clear view of Sora.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Sora lay on the bed, trapped in a snarl of wires and tubes. He looked asleep, but might have been unconscious. His skin was sallow and chalk-white, though flushed with sweat in places. His brow was furrowed and his mouth was turned down at the corners. His eyes looked bruised, sunken into his skull. His hair was as untamed as ever, fanning across the flat pillow. Stripped of his usual baggy clothes, it was apparent how thin he was. His collarbones were sharp and long, shoulders chiseled with fine muscle and more bone, and his naked chest had a hollow look to it. Wires were pasted all over his skin and the IV had already mapped a bruise into the back of his hand.

Kairi approached timidly, leaving Riku in the threshold. She thought he might stir at her approach, but he didn’t even move. She tugged the chair closer and sank down in it. She reached for his hand, but hesitated—remembering the deathly-cold of his skin in the Gummi Ship. However, the heart monitor beeped lowly and she finally took his hand in her own. She was relieved to find his skin was warm. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“I’m so sorry, Sora,” she whispered. “I didn’t… I didn’t really know.” She rasped her thumb over his knuckles, mindful to avoid the IV. “I’ve caused you nothing but pain. I’ve always caused you nothing but pain. You’ve done so much for me and I… I’m sorry.” She stretched out her other hand, mapping a fleeting path up his torso to cup his cheek. She stroked his cheek with her thumb. “Sora,” she whispered. This time, it was not just his name. It was a promise.

Riku tiptoed up beside her, hovering beside the single chair.

“You knew?” Kairi whispered. “Couldn’t you have helped him?”

“I’ve been trying, Kairi,” Riku confessed. “I’ve been trying the whole time you’ve been gone. But there’s… there’s only so much I can do.”

Kairi bent her head over Sora’s body, inhaling the sea-salt scent of him. Hot tears dripped down her cheeks.

Even in his darkness, Sora’s fingers twitched in her own. He tightened his grip very faintly, taking comfort in her presence.

Butterflies took up root in Kairi’s stomach and she squeezed his hand in return, hoping he could feel it. How could she ever have feared him? They were both hurting so terribly. They needed each other to heal. Though she worried about how he would react when he awoke, Kairi took comfort in the fact that he reached for her now. Even though she had hurt him, he still wanted her close.

Kairi rested her cheek on the coverlet and stared up at his sleeping face. Some of the pain had been smoothed from his features. For the first time, he looked a little like the Sora she remembered from their youth. Kairi closed her eyes and vowed to remain there for as long as she could. She dozed lightly, listening to the distant beep of the monitor, knowing it echoed his heartbeat.

…

Riku stood beside Kairi, looking down at Sora’s troubled face, for a long time. However, Kairi essentially ignored him in favor of clutching Sora’s hand as she nodded off. Riku couldn’t be upset with her. She was probably exhausted. It had only been a few days since she had been rescued, though it felt like much longer.

Unable to do anything, Riku wandered away. He wasn’t concerned that Dom would try to attack while they were at the hospital. There were too many people around. Dom would certainly want to get them alone. So Riku went to talk to Ignis again, to take the business card of the therapist he recommended. Riku wasn’t sure he would be able to get Sora to see someone, but he wanted the option to be there.

He returned to the room just as the sun broke over the horizon, painting the sky a variety of sherbet colors.

Kairi was still dozing at Sora’s side, his hand cradled in hers.

In that moment, Riku knew he had lost whatever they had been building in the past few days. He wanted to hate Sora for taking something else from him—the light, the Keyblade, the princess, the glory of saving the worlds—but how could he? Sora had received the Keyblade only because Riku had given himself to the dark. Sora had loved Kairi enough to sacrifice everything for her. Sora even loved Riku enough to never give up on him, pulling him from the darkness time and again. It wasn’t fair to hate Sora—it wasn't even fair to be mad at him.

With a heavy sigh, Riku perched at the foot of the bed and waited for one or the other of them to wake. He fingered the business card in his hand. Maybe he should take some time for himself, like Doctor Scientia had recommended. Riku wasn’t a professional, he was just a friend, and all this was taking a toll on him as well.

…

When Sora woke, it was bright and he could hear birds singing. He tried to open his eyes but the light hurt and doing so seemed to take monumental effort. The last thing he remembered was the crippling pain in his stomach and Kairi. What had happened after that was a blur of light, sound, and then nothing but darkness. Again, he struggled to open his eyes.

He was in a hospital, he knew immediately. There was no mistaking those white walls, the stink of bleach, and the noise of machines. He could feel wires and tubes. There was an ache in the back of his hand, dripping something cool into his veins. He shuddered and tried to pull the ache away. His limbs felt too heavy, almost restrained. Panic clawed in his throat.

Was that blood spilled on the sheets beside his hip? The sight sobered him and he looked a little closer, focusing his vision. It wasn’t blood, but Kairi. She was at his side, holding his hand, her head pillowed on her folded arm in a way that couldn’t have been comfortable. Riku had tucked a blanket around her shoulders.

“Kai,” Sora croaked and squeezed her fingers.

She woke slowly, blinking as she crawled out from the blanket of dreams. She looked around for a moment and then her eyes shot to his face.

He smiled, pleased that she would look at him with so much eagerness.

Then, her beautiful eyes filled with tears.

His heart skipped a beat. Had he done something wrong? Had he upset her?

“Kai?”

She leaped from the chair and threw her arms around him. She hugged him tightly, squeezing the breath from his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I’m so sorry.”

Sora pulled her close with his least-wired arm, burying his face in the riot of her tangled hair. “You don’t ever have to apologize,” he whispered. “Not to me, Kai.”

“You were hurt,” she protested, “and I… I only made it worse.”

“You didn’t know,” Sora said softly.

She shook her head, red tresses sticking to her wet cheeks. “I found… those pills in your jacket. I just—I didn’t think—” She wept into his chest, clutching him tightly. “I always thought you were so strong. I didn’t think you could ever be hurt. I was so—so stupid!”

Sora fought his other arm free of the wires, wrapping both arms around her back. He squeezed her tightly to his chest. Not for the first time, he wished he could take her heart back into himself and protect her from the outside world. Her body was all bones and angles, cutting into him, but he held her tighter. He knew she could feel his bones too.

The pieces of them lined up and fit together, even broken.

“You had every right to be afraid of me,” he said. “What you saw that day we found you… I attacked a man. I would have frightened anyone.”

Kairi pulled back, searching his face.

He forced himself to hold her gaze.

“You saved me,” she said. “You’ve always saved me… but I just make things harder for you. I’m bad luck, Sora.”

The sound of his name sent a shudder through him. “No,” he told her and tucked some hair out of her face. “None of these terrible things would have happened to you if you… if you’d never known me.”

Kairi stiffened.

For a moment, Sora thought he had done it—that he had finally said the one thing to make her leave and never look back.

Then, she shook her head and buried her face into his throat again. She could feel his pulse, beating strongly against her cheek. He was warm and he was alive, a far cry from the cold stiff body she had held in her arms just last night. She thought of Sora’s apology, of the way he held himself accountable, and how she had let him take that blame.

While Kairi had suffered at Dom’s hands—rotting in silence, servicing cruel clients, starving for kindness—she had never once doubted that Sora and Riku would come for her. However, no matter how often she said aloud or simply thought, ‘My friends will come for me,’ it was always Sora’s face that she saw in her heart.

She shook her head and whispered, “No matter what, I would always have wanted to know you, Sora.”

He froze, arms tightening around her before he caught himself. He tucked his face into her hair and breathed in. She smelled of Riku’s laundry soap and also her own natural scent. It felt like centuries since Sora had held her in his arms. He squeezed her close, soaking in the combined aura of his two most precious friends.

XXX

I still know nothing about how hospitals handle suicide attempts and Google still wasn’t very helpful.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	9. A Painful Warning

2010: I get to leave for vacation soon! I’ll be gone from around the 18 to the 24, so no updates during those days. Boo-hoo!

2019: I do not get to leave for a paid family-vacation this time. I did go to Comic Con in Chicago in March thought, which was awesome!

XXX

Riku straggled back into Sora’s room, feeling no better for the time he had taken for himself, while they were eating a tasteless hospital-issued breakfast. Kairi picked at it, eating little nibbles here and there. It was the kind of quality food Dom used to keep stocked for the girls, but after eating Riku’s fresh and flavorful ‘healing’ meals, she found that she wasn’t keen on the gelatinous slurry of eggs and potatoes. Sora’s appetite pushed him through, though he didn’t eat ravenously by any means. They looked up in unison, twin blues eyes settling on Riku when he entered.

Riku hesitated, fingering the crumpled card that Ignis had given him and then thrusting it into his pocket to hide the new nervous tic. “Sora, Kairi,” he greeted. “Good morning. How are… how are you feeling, Sora?”

“Better,” Sora said. His voice was bright but hoarse.

Riku didn’t miss the fact that Kairi was seated on the bed beside him, their shoulders almost touching. Swimming in Riku’s sweatshirt, Kairi looked thin, but in the hospital gown, Sora looked even thinner. The scratchy fabric had slipped down Sora’s shoulder, exposing a joint that was so bony it looked like a skull beneath his skin. The bruise from the IV had spread. Sora’s usually-tan skin was swallow, his hair was lank and greasy, and his mouth was chapped. However, his eyes were brighter than Riku could remember seeing in a long time.

Riku took the chair Kairi had vacated for himself and picked at her uneaten hash browns. They tasted burnt and he made a face.

Kairi offered the tray to him, but he waved it off.

“Doctor Scientia said you can check out this morning,” Riku said, “provided you feel well enough to go home and that you feel,” he hesitated, “safe to leave.”

Sora’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “If I feel safe?”

Kairi picked at her powdered eggs with the plastic spork.

Riku searched Sora’s expression, both relieved that Sora hadn’t really tried to commit suicide and horrified that Sora had been pushed so far that he had kept taking his pills even when they weren’t working for him. “Yeah,” he said finally. “Sora, they pumped all the pills out of your stomach last night. The doctor thinks this was a suicide attempt.”

The edge of Sora’s mouth twitched, like he wanted to laugh, but the serious tone of Riku’s voice silenced him. “Oh,” he said finally and his throat flashed as he struggled to swallow. “I… I wasn’t trying to…”

Riku studied him, watched his friend’s hands twist in the thin sheets.

Sora shuddered all over like he might break apart.

Kairi reached to lay her hand on his back, hesitated, and then lowered it. Her blue eyes were haunted.

Riku closed the space between them. He engulfed Sora with one arm and Kairi with the other, pulling them both against his chest. Sora fell into him, tucking his face deeply into the side of Riku’s neck. Though Sora was silent, Riku felt his tears drip hotly against his skin. Kairi cuddled against Riku after a moment of tension. Then, she allowed herself to put her arms around Sora, curling into both of them. Riku tucked his face into Kairi’s soft hair and closed his eyes.

“It’s okay,” he whispered to them. “You’re okay and that’s all that matters. It’ll all be okay.”

Slowly, Sora drew away.

Kairi let go of him, her cheeks slightly pink.

Riku rested a hand on the top of Sora’s head, feeling the heat of him. “Let’s get back to the Gummi Ship,” he said. “We can eat some real food and you can get cleaned up.”

Sora tried in vain to neaten his wild hair and then smiled sheepishly. “That sounds nice,” he agreed.

Riku took the tray of terrible food from both of them and headed off to fill out the necessary paperwork.

Kairi transitioned from the bed back to the chair, even though Sora looked at her mournfully when she moved away. Silence stretched awkwardly between them. Sora shifted restlessly, his joints stiff and the IV pulling unpleasantly, and Kairi fidgeted her fingers along the hem of Riku’s borrowed sweatshirt. A few minutes later, Doctor Scientia stepped into the room.

“Riku tells me you’re ready to check out,” Ignis said and shut the door daintily. He adjusted his glasses. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” Sora admitted. “A little sore.” He picked at the tape plastered over the site of the darkly-bruised IV. “Will you take this out?”

Ignis loitered at the foot of Sora’s bed, flipping idly through his chart while never taking his steady gaze off Sora. “A nurse will be along shortly to cut you free,” he said with a smile at what was apparently a hospital joke. “I just wanted to check in with you. Make sure you feel well enough to leave?” Ignis’s sharp gaze flicked over Kairi. “Do you both feel well enough to leave?”

Kairi tensed.

“Riku will take care of us,” Sora said assuredly.

“That wasn’t the question,” Ignis said sternly. He fixed his glasses and asked, “Do you feel safe?”

“I didn’t mean to take so many,” Sora said in a small voice. “It was an… accident.”

Kairi shifted, her gaze darting out the window. Dom was out there somewhere, looking for her, looking to take her back—but being in the hospital wouldn’t keep her safe. Only Sora and Riku could protect her, but… they hadn’t been able to before. Should she say something to Ignis? But what could she say—that a man was coming from another world to force her back into a brothel, enslaved by dark magic and fear? No, even the good doctor would send her straight to the Psych Ward.

Sora’s eyes strayed over her like a physical touch. He looked as though he knew what she was thinking.

“We’re fine,” Kairi assured Ignis. “We just need some rest and good food.”

Ignis glanced at the abandoned trays. “Yes, good food,” he remarked. “I’ve been telling the hospital that it needs to change distributors for years now, but they just refuse to listen. Wonderful food does a lot of good for the soul.”

Sora nodded.

“Well, if either of you need help,” Ignis said casually and passed each of them a card with another doctor’s name on it.

A therapist, Sora realized and his knuckles whitened.

“I called in a refill of your regular antidepressant,” Ignis told Sora. “You can pick it up before you leave. Just… adhere to the recommended dosage.”

Sora flushed, ashamed.

Kairi rose to her feet, stepping between them. She opened her mouth to say something, to assure Ignis that she would keep watch over him, that she would help him get better, but—could she really? What about Dom? What about her own scars, the dark magic coiled low on her belly, the years of hurt that sent her shrinking from even a kind touch? She was in no position to help anyone.

“Okay, we’re ready to go—” Riku returned at that moment, the door clicking open. He looked surprised to see Ignis there. “Everything okay?”

“Quite,” Ignis said. “Just a few routine questions. We’re already finished.” He set down Sora’s chart. As he passed Riku in the threshold, he placed a cool hand briefly on Riku’s shoulder and gave a light squeeze. Then, he was gone.

A young nurse bustled in and set about removing all the sensors, wires, and tubes from Sora. Even though Riku was standing right there and saw her disconnect Sora from the heart monitor, that moment where the line went flat still jolted something primal inside Riku. Kairi tensed beside him and she must have felt it too. The nurse was efficient and it wasn’t long before Sora had a nude band-aid plastered over the hideous IV bruise on the back of his hand. She helped him out of bed and made sure he was steady on his feet.

“I brought you some scrubs. They’re not the best, but your clothes were cut off when you came in,” the nurse told him. “And Riku has all your personal effects.”

Riku brandished a little baggy containing the contents of Sora’s pockets. Since he had been trying to sleep and in his pajamas, it was just some lint and a few potions that Sora couldn’t seem to put away no matter how hard he tried. Old habits, Sora supposed. What if he needed the potions? What if he needed to heal someone?

“Thank you,” Sora said to the nurse earnestly.

“Do you need help getting dressed?”

Sora scratched the bruise on his hand, winced, and stopped. “Nope,” he said. “I’ll be fine.”

“We’ll step out,” Riku said and beckoned Kairi to follow.

They watched the nurse walk away, her non-slip shoes squeaking on the white linoleum. Mindlessly, Kairi watched the hustle and bustle of the hospital, her eyes scanning each face nervously. She didn’t think Dom would come for her here, but what if he tried something now, while Sora was weakened? She glanced at Riku. He took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

A moment later, the door opened and Sora emerged, barefoot. The shapeless green scrubs did nothing to improve the pallor of his skin and they highlighted just how much muscle mass he had lost since Kairi had been taken, but his eyes were brighter than they had been in a long time.

“Ready?” Riku asked, handing over the little baggie of potions.

“Ready,” Sora confirmed.

Kairi followed them out of the hospital, blinking in the sudden sunlight after so much sterile white. She breathed deep, letting go of the smell of antiseptic and blood. Beside her, Sora and Riku did the same. They fell into step together, the sunlight sending their shadows skipping over palms and low bushes. It was balmy and far warmer than the cool Gummi Ship or airconditioned hospital. Kairi paused and peeled off Riku’s heavy sweatshirt.

Sora’s eyes strayed to her. As she peeled off the sweatshirt, Riku’s tank top lifted away from her back and exposed a sliver of skin. There, on her lower spine and most likely spanning across her entire back, were long white scars that looked as though they had been made with a whip. They were deep and purposeful. Someone had beaten her—had beaten Kairi! Rage swelled in Sora’s chest and his breath hissed.

Riku glanced at him, but it was clear he hadn’t seen what Sora had.

After everything that had just happened, Sora forced himself to take a deep breath. He stepped on a stone in the path and the pain in the bottom of his foot centered him. When Kairi glanced at him curiously, he was able to give her wane smile. “Warm, isn’t it?” Sora remarked.

Kairi nodded, smiling in return. “It is,” she agreed. “It’s nice. I feel like I’ve been cold for a long time.”

Riku heard that and met Sora’s gaze.

Surely, the scars on her back were only the beginnings of the truth of what had happened to Kairi while she was on that brothel ship. There were assuredly uglier marks on her heart and soul. The way she still flinched from a gentle touch or stared at someone she used to know in fright was evidence enough. However, when her shoulder brushed Sora’s while they walked, she didn’t look as startled as he expected. She even returned the little smiles he gave her each time it happened and she didn’t move further away.

If Sora had been through what she had, there was no guarantee he would be any better or worse. In fact, he was certain that he would have kept a radius of ten feet between himself and everyone else. He certainly wouldn’t have trusted his old friends, especially if one was anything like he was—unstable, depressed, suicidal? It was a testament to the pure light in Kairi’s heart that she could even walk beside him.

“What are you thinking?” Kairi asked, her shoulder brushing Sora’s again.

He shook his head, hoping to hide the truth of his dark thoughts, and looked at her. The sunlight played on her face, hung in her sapphire eyes, touched her faintly-smiling mouth, made her ruby-red tresses glow like jewels. She was gorgeous. He had thrown himself into so much danger just to find her. He loved her. God, he had always loved her. While she was gone, it was as if a crucial part of him was missing.

“I love you,” Sora said softly and without thinking. The words just tumbled out.

Shock lit on Kairi’s face and in Riku’s too.

They both stopped walking and stared at him.

Sora flushed but didn’t retract the words. “I do,” he continued. “I just… want you to know that.”

Riku made a little sound in his throat, like he was preparing to speak, to try to smooth Sora’s latest mess over.

Then, there was a distant twang and something slammed into Sora from behind. He pitched forward, hands going out to break his fall before his face smashed into the pavement. His wrist cracked unpleasantly and the place where the IV had been throbbed. It took a moment for the fire to reach him. Black flames licked up his shoulder and across his back, igniting in a whoosh, flaring like a beacon.

Kairi screamed, high and shrill.

Riku snatched the sweatshirt from Kairi’s limp fingers and threw himself on Sora, smothering the hideous flames. His weight crushed Sora into the pavement, but Sora hardly felt it through the racing agony that poured into his shoulder. He felt as though the fire had seeped through him, dripping through his chest and searing his heart.

Riku got back to his feet quickly, prepared to shield Sora and Kairi with whatever means necessary. His green eyes scoured the foliage. He sensed a puff of darkness and then it was gone. Whoever had attacked them was already long gone—and Riku had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly who it was.

“Kairi,” Riku said hastily. “Hush. Come here.”

She choked on her scream, eyes flooding with tears, but came to tuck herself under Riku’s outstretched arm.

Riku brought her close, shielding her with his body, and crouched beside Sora. “I know you’re hurt. Can you stand?”

Shakily, Sora got his hands and knees underneath him. Riku took hold of his bicep and helped him stand. He didn’t touch Sora’s back.

“Potion,” Sora said pleadingly. His nerves were raw, licked by the fire.

“There’s something else. You’re going to need more than just a potion. Let’s get back to the Gummi Ship,” Riku told him.

Sora glanced down and his vision went white. The pain he had felt spearing through his chest appeared to be the tip of an arrowhead. The glinting metal peeked from his torn flesh and Sora’s knees went weak. It was only Riku’s grasp around his arm that kept him from sliding back to the ground.

“Stay with me,” Riku said. With Kairi under one arm, partly in front of him so he could shield her, and Sora’s bicep clasped in his free hand, he ushered them the short distant to the Gummi Ship. “Stay with me, guys. Just keep walking. Kairi, breathe with me. Breathe deep. Sora, stop looking at it. Look ahead. See? There’s the Gummi Ship.” All the while, Riku looked around, his senses on high alert, but he didn’t sense the darkness return.

Kairi shakily opened the door.

Riku pressed Sora in front of him and guided them both through the threshold. Then, he slammed the door and locked it. “Help him sit down,” he told Kairi. “Don’t let him put any weight on the arrow.”

She jolted but did as instructed. Sora rested his hand on her shoulder, following her to the couch where she eased him down.

Riku went to the cockpit and powered up the Gummi Ship, just in case they had to beat a hasty retreat. He had thought that the kind of person who snatched and enslaved girls would be nothing to them. However, he hadn’t thought about the fact that Dom had managed to take Kairi from them in the first place. With Sora in the state he was, Dom could prove a dangerous adversary.

Kairi sunk to her knees at Sora’s side, her hands flittering around him. She finally rested a hand above his heart, letting him lean forward into her palms rather than back against the jutting shaft of the arrow.

Riku grabbed a clean towel from the bathroom and returned to Sora. The arrow was just where he had left it, Sora’s hideous green clothes had burned away, and his skin was red and angry where the black flames at touched him.

Kairi turned tear-filled eyes on Riku. “What do we do?”

“Calm down,” he told her firmly. He tipped Sora’s head back and looked into his face. “Sora. Stay with me.”

“I’m here,” Sora gasped. “I’m okay.” His trembling hands betrayed his words. Each breath sent a stab of pain through his chest, red-hot, burning. His raw skin ached at the slightest touch of Kairi’s cool hands, but her presence was a comfort. “Ugh, pull it out.”

Riku knelt to be level with the wound. It had gone clean through Sora’s upper chest, the arrowhead bursting through the flesh just beneath his collarbone. It had probably missed vital organs, being so high up. The dark arrowhead was large and hex-shaped while the tail was fletched with black feathers. Neither would be ideal to pull through Sora’s body. The color of the metal gave Riku pause. Was it poisoned? “I’ve got to cut it,” Riku told Sora. “Keep breathing. Don’t pass out.”

Sora sucked in air.

Kairi took the towel and mopped his face.

Riku returned briskly with some shears he used to fix their armor. “Ready?”

She got to her feet, letting Riku slide into the place where she had been kneeling, and sat beside Sora on the couch. Sora reached a trembling hand for her, his skin so pale. She hesitated only a moment before taking his hand in her own, intertwining their fingers. His skin was hot, sweat-slick. Kairi didn’t watch as Riku clipped the protruding shaft of the arrow behind Sora’s back.

“Sit back if you want,” Riku said gently. “We’ll heal your skin as soon at the arrow is out.”

Kairi slipped her arm around Sora’s waist, fitting her shoulder against him, giving him support. She stifled a gasp at the feel of his body. He was so thin. Without speaking, Sora put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her to his side, drawing whatever strength he could from her proximity.

Riku grasped the arrowhead with the clean towel, getting a firm grip. “Take a deep breath,” he instructed.

Sora’s chest rose.

“Slowly,” Riku counseled and began to pull.

Sora yelped. He tensed, his arm tightening around Kairi and his fingers digging into her to the point of pain.

She made a soft sound and gripped him more tightly. She was here for him. It was her fault he was hurt. If she hadn’t… if Dom hadn’t… She shook the blame from her mind and focused on the moment at hand. She could smell Sora’s blood and sweat. Riku’s lips were pursed in concentration as he steadily pulled the arrow.

Then, Sora cried out again. “What is—?”

Riku wriggled the arrow, pulling it out at an angle that made Sora’s vision for white. “There’s something tied around it. If it gets stuck in you, I’ll have to dig it out. Bear with me.”

Sora tipped his head back. Maybe it would be easier if he couldn’t see it. He had been shot before, but with magic, never with something that stuck in his body and didn’t allow him to heal himself right away. He had been through a lot—he had been clubbed, slashed, cut, burned, frozen, and hurtled so high that he wondered if he’d break into a million pieces coming down. He had broken bones and reset them in the field with Donald and Goofy. He had been hit on the head plenty of times. He liked to think that he was strong, that he was tough, but this arrow… He squeezed Kairi tighter.

Hot tears pricked his eyes. Sora could feel every bit of splintered wood as Riku pulled the shaft passed his torn muscles. In response, he tensed, which only made him more aware of the pain. Blood ran freely down his chest from the wound, soaking into his hospital pants. The shirt had caught fire and stuck to his skin in places. Worse than the burned fabric, he could feel tightness where his skin had been seared. The wounds were raw and open, he could feel it. He had been burned many times, but always healed quickly.

“Just—just pull it out,” he pleaded.

Kairi held his hand on hers. She rubbed his knuckles with her thumb.

Riku continued pulling at the same steady speed. Then, he changed the angle, trying not to lose what he could see tied to the shaft inside Sora’s chest.

Sora nearly screamed, his vision blackening at the edges.

“Riku?” Kairi asked and her voice trickled as though through a fog.

Sora slowly came back to awareness, realized he must have been crushing her, and tried to loosen his hold.

“Almost there,” Riku said to them. Sweat was beaded on his brow. He twisted the arrow around and was finally able to see the object tied to the shaft. It looked like paper.

All the color had drained from Sora’s face. His face was ghost-pale, his lips bloodless, and reminded Kairi too much of how he had looked just last night. He squeezed his eyes shut, but his long lashes were starred with tears. His breath came in ragged puffs. Despite the crushing pressure of his hold on her shoulders, Kairi continued to stroke his hand in the hopes that she could distract him even a little. His fingers dug into her harder as Riku tried to tug the paper out. She winced, but stayed at his side.

“Sora,” she said.

At the sound of his name, he forced himself to relax. He loosened the muscles in his chest and took a shallow breath.

It was then—in that moment of blood and pain, through Kairi’s fear, through everything Sora had been through—that Riku realized just how deep their love still ran. They were almost made for each other, two halves of a whole, even now that so many pieces had been lost. A little part of him, a tiny voice that whispered maybe Kairi would come to Riku now, fell silent.

Riku was finally able to grip the piece of paper with the tips of his fingers and pulled the arrow the rest of the way in one swift motion. He dropped the arrow with a clatter. A geyser of blood began to flow from the wound and Riku pressed his palm over it, pushing Sora back into the couch cushions. Sora yelped, his burned skin alighting with pain.

“Wait,” Sora protested, panting, “You said there was something—”

“No, you wait,” Riku snapped. “You’re bleeding all over the place.” Beneath Riku’s palm, healing magic began to flow. “Grab a potion for the burns,” Riku said to Kairi. “I’m only going to use magic on the wound.”

However, Sora was still holding Kairi to his side tightly. It took her a moment to untangle herself from him and fetch a potion from the little bag of personal effects. She carried it back, uncapping the top and holding it while Riku finished healing him. Once the wound was closed, Riku sat back on his haunches with a great sigh. He grabbed the towel, found a clean spot, and mopped his sweaty face.

“Here,” Kairi said to Sora and took her place at his side again. “Drink this.”

Sora’s hand was shaking too badly to take the little vial.

Instead, Kairi brought it to his lips. A green glow settled over him, washing down his back and over his shoulders. When it faded, his skin was whole again. There was only the faintest mark on his front and back where the arrow had struck. In awe, Kairi traced the pale scar. She had never had occasion to see Riku and Sora use serious healing magic.

They sat quietly together for a moment before Riku picked up the arrow and inspected it. On second thought, it didn’t really look or smell poisoned. The metal was just foreign and dark. From around the shaft, there was a neatly folded bit of paper that had been tied in a knot. It was bloodstained now, but didn’t look like it would be unreadable. Riku untied it carefully and began unfolding it.

“That’s it?” Sora asked. His voice was hoarse. “What’s it say?”

Kairi peeked over the top of the paper before Riku could stop her.

There was no mistaking now who had attacked them. Dom’s handwriting was as jagged as it had been on his first threat.

‘Key Bearer,’ it read. ‘I could’ve shot her, but that wouldn’t be any fun, would it? Give her up. There’s no point in suffering for my worthless whore.’ Dom had made the first move.

XXX

Questions, comments, concerns? 


	10. Dreams and Nightmares

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. I certainly did.

XXX

Riku had expected Kairi to panic when she saw the missive from Dom. However, he wasn’t fully expecting the reaction that tore from her. Her stunning blue eyes welled with tears and her pink mouth dropped open but no sound came out. She looked around in a panic, scanning every window for the grinning face of her long-time captor. As she looked around, her breath came short and shorter until she was simply gasping. She began to shake all over, her body nearly vibrating. She reached up a hand and raked it through her hair, gripping the tresses and pulling painfully.

Her silent mouth began to shape wordless pleas. ‘No,’ Riku could make out her saying, ‘No, no, no, no…’

Sora reached for her, but she slapped his hands away. She lunged to her feet, a primal urge fight-or-flight taking up root in her chest. Barefoot, wearing only Riku’s boxers and a tank top, she took off for the door. Riku snatched her wrist and spun her around, knocking her back into the couch. Sora locked a hand around her elbow, holding her in place. She stared at him, beyond fear, well into panic. She struggled against him weakly, still pleading. When he didn’t let go, she turned her desperation on herself. She clawed at her bare thigh, raking the pale flesh into bloody troughs.

Sora grabbed both her hands. “Kai, please. Stop!” he protested.

She kicked at him, too weak to do any damage. She thrashed into the cushions, mouth hanging open in a silent scream.

Sora pressed his hips into her bloody thighs, preventing her from thrashing. He tried to heal her, but his magic sputtered. He didn’t have his strength back.

She tossed her head, tears rolling unchecked down her face. Her lips shaped out, ‘No, no, no…’

Riku threw himself alongside the couch and caught her face between his palms. He healed her, magic flowing warm and green over her body. “Kairi, Kairi, look at me.”

She turned her head and finally found her voice. She started screaming and just couldn’t stop. It was an agonizing sound, as though her heart was shattering.

Uncertain of what else to do, Riku fit his hand over her mouth. He felt her teeth, but she didn’t bite him.

Kairi’s tear-filled blue eyes gazed at him, her scream still vibrating in her lungs, and her body minutely jerking. However, it lasted only another minute or so. Slowly, the fight drained out of her until she lay there on the couch, sobbing brokenly. Sora loosened his grip on her wrists and Riku withdrew his hand. She curled around herself, weeping.

“Please, no,” she begged. “Please, don’t let him… Don’t let me go. No, no, no. Don’t let him get me.”

Sora gently cupped her face between his palms and encouraged her to sit up. “Kai,” he whispered. “Riku and I are with you. We won’t let you out of our sight. We’re going to protect you. He will never get a chance to touch you again.”

Kairi sat up slowly, her joints creaking. She put her arms around Sora and burrowed into his bare chest, hiding her face. Her shoulders shook as she cried.

Sora coiled his arms around her, holding her tight and safe. “I’ll kill him before I’ll let him touch you,” Sora murmured.

Kairi shivered, but Riku couldn’t tell if it was with horror or eagerness. If he was in her position, he would certainly want the person who had hurt him so much dead.

Riku climbed back to his feet and dropped onto the couch behind Sora.

Still cradling Kairi, Sora leaned back into Riku’s shoulder. His body was warm and Riku patted his naked back.

“Are you okay?” Riku asked.

Sora nodded. “Thanks for healing me.”

“No problem.”

Kairi’s arms were wrapped around Sora’s back, pressing hard into his skin, her nails leaving little crescents. Riku gingerly patted her hand until she relaxed enough to loosen her grip. Sora relaxed further, his weight sinking into Riku’s shoulder. They sat like that for a long time while the sun rose high outside the Gummi Ship. Then, after a long time, Kairi’s little voice peeked out.

“Why?” she asked softly.

“Why what?” Sora asked her, stroking her hair back from her face when she looked at him.

“Why would you protect me? I’m—”

Sora interrupted, his mouth close to her ear and his voice low as he confessed, “You’re precious to me, Kai. I love you.”

A fresh wave of tears rolled down her face. She burrowed back into his arms.

Sora hushed her, his hands tracking up and down her trembling back.

“What did you say to her?” Riku asked, taking note of her reaction.

“The truth,” Sora answered and began to rearrange himself into a more comfortable position.

“Sora, damn it, if you want me to trust you—”

Sora’s blue eyes lit on Riku’s face. “You don’t trust me?”

Riku hesitated and then shook his head. “No. Not after everything you’re been going through. You’re… unstable. If you want me to trust you—and I’m going to have to if we’re going to protect Kairi—you have to start telling me things again. What happened yesterday—that overdose—”

Sora shuddered.

“That should never have happened,” Riku continued. “If you can’t talk to me, you should talk to someone else.”

Sora rested his back against the couch, Kairi’s face tucked into his neck. She was silent and still, as though she had fallen asleep. “I’m sorry, Riku,” Sora said finally. “I’ve put you through a lot and you’ve always kept it together. You’ve always stayed by me.” He stretched out his hand, squeezing what he could reach of Riku’s knee. “Thank you.”

Riku patted Sora’s hand and sighed. “It’s alright, Sora. It’s nothing you wouldn’t do for me. But let’s try to have some change, alright?”

Sora nodded.

With a groan, Riku pried himself out of the soft cushions. “Did she fall asleep?”

Sora pressed his cheek against Kairi’s. “I think so.”

“We’ve got to make a safe place for her. We should start doing things in shifts, making sure one of us is with her constantly,” Riku said thoughtfully. “He’s bold and he’s dangerous. We know he’s a practitioner of dark magic. We can’t give him a chance to open another one of those wormholes.”

“Right.”

Sora’s eyes looked heavy. He slouched against the cushions, his arms sagging around Kairi’s back.

“Do you want to lie down in your room?” Riku offered.

Sora shook his head, his lids flickering. He lasted only another few seconds before his eyes drooped closed. Kairi was hunched against him, her legs on either side of his thighs, her arms locked around his neck. Riku knew he would wake them both if he tried to move them one at a time and he wasn’t particularly feeling up to carrying their combined weight. Instead, he pulled the coverlet off Sora’s bed and tucked it around them.

He grabbed the arrow and the message off the floor and paced to the kitchen sink. He thought about incinerating them but instead tracked down Sora’s Gummiphone and put in a call to King Mickey.

Mickey picked up after a few rings, concern in his voice when he asked, “Sora?”

“It’s Riku,” Riku said to the little screen, even though Mickey could see him. “Sora’s okay, but… Dom’s made his move.” Riku showed Mickey the arrow and the message. Then, he held up the screen so Mickey could see Sora and Kairi for himself, dozing beneath the quilt on the bloodstained couch. “I just wanted to let you know.”

“He’s there? On the island?”

“Seems so,” Riku said. “He must have been the one who shot Sora.”

“I can send Goofy and Donald right away if you want back up,” Mickey offered.

“Not yet,” Riku said. “The Gummi Ship is too small. We’re going to get through tonight and regroup in the morning, okay?”

“Fair,” Mickey agreed. “Call me the second anything changes or even if you need to talk, Riku.”

Mickey’s concern punched a hole in Riku’s defenses in a way Doctor Scientia’s never could. He swallowed the sudden knot in his throat. “I will,” he promised.

Mickey nodded. 

They spoke for a few minutes longer before Riku ended the connection. With one final glance at his sleeping friends, he gave into his urge and muttered a fire spell under his breath. He held the arrow and ugly message in his flaming palms until they were little more than ashes. Then, he ran water until even that was gone.

Riku made himself comfortable in the captain’s chair which afforded him a good view of the street below and waited for Dom to make his next move.

…

It was late and the ocean breeze howled outside the windows. The Gummi Ship rocked gently on its moorings, its engines humming lowly. Though it was cool and the captain’s seat wasn’t very comfortable, Riku was struggling to stay awake. The little sounds of the ship weren’t doing anything to keep him awake—he was too used to them after spending years aboard it. However, the intermittent cries from Kairi as she dreamed kept jolting Riku back to awareness. He could not let Dom take her.

His gaze strayed to Sora, slumbering beneath her, shirtless and thin. Riku knew he couldn’t let Dom take on Sora either. He knew how it would end if the two of them came to a head-to-head fight. Sora would destroy Dom without a second thought. Riku wasn’t sure how Kairi would react to that. Would she revert to the way she had been that day on the brothel ship? Would it undo everything they had accomplished? Would she just want to leave and never look back? If she left, Riku knew any hope of Sora getting better would go with her.

Sora was dozing fitfully, his quiet snores giving testament to just how exhausted he really was. He had slumped over sometime during the evening hours and didn’t even wake when Riku jostled a pillow under his head. Now, he slumbered on his side with Kairi still cuddled in his arms. They looked cute that way, but Sora’s regular snores were just annoying enough that Riku wanted to get up and smother him.

Kairi whimpered lowly and Riku saw her knuckles whiten where they gripped Sora’s shoulder. She murmured something and a tear slipped down her cheek. Then, somehow soothed by Sora’s sleeping body, she drifted away again. Her tense fist relaxed and dropped beneath the covers again. These sounds were enough to keep him awake for a little while longer.

At midnight, Riku was startled from his light doze by the sudden lapse of Sora snoring.

“Riku?” came Sora’s voice through the dark. There was something in his tone that made the hair on the back of Riku’s neck rise. “Riku!”

Riku sat up sharply and fumbled on the lights of the Gummi Ship’s console. In the sudden burst of colored lights, Sora’s face looked stricken. Riku almost jumped to his feet, but Sora carefully began untangling himself from Kairi. He resettled her on the couch, tucked the blanket around her shoulders, and paced over to Riku. Bare-chested, the light played eerily on the line of his ribs and hollow stomach.

“Hey,” Riku said gently when Sora joined him in the second seat. “You okay?”

“Had a nightmare,” Sora said. The red start-up lights of the ship’s console hung in his eyes.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Riku offered.

Sora started to shake his head, hesitated, and then nodded. However, rather than begin to tell Riku about his dream, he instead asked, “Are you mad?”

Startled, Riku stared at him for a moment. “No?” he ventured. “Why?”

“Do you hate me?”

The question pressed on Riku uncomfortably because there had been times, especially on that asteroid and over the years, when Riku had hated Sora. Why did Sora have to get a Keyblade? Why did Sora have to be so good and so pure that he’d save countless worlds while Riku fell to the darkness? Why did Sora have to share with Kairi all the amazing things he had seen, why did he have to share them with Riku? Why did Sora have to fall apart and make Riku carry them both? Riku shook those memories away, focusing on the here and now.

“What’s all this about, Sora?”

Sora’s eyes glowed. “Are you angry at me?” he repeated.

“Are you sleep-walking?” Riku asked.

Sora shook his head. “I’m awake,” he said. “It’s just… in my dream…”

“It was just a dream,” Riku assured him.

Sora went on as though he hadn’t spoken. “In my dream, I died last night. I took all those pills and I fell asleep and I never woke up. I had to watch though. I had to watch you and Kairi find me. I had to watch my funeral. I had to watch as Dom came for Kairi again and I wasn’t there to stop him. I had to watch him kill her.”

“Where was I?” Riku asked.

“You were angry,” Sora said softly. “You hated me so you… just left. You left Kairi alone and when he came…” Sora shuddered. “I had to watch. I couldn’t do anything to help her. I just had to watch.”

“It was a dream,” Riku repeated. “Even if something happened to you, I wouldn’t leave Kairi.”

Sora swallowed. “Because… you love her.”

A shiver ran down Riku’s spine. He hadn’t kept his feelings secret, but he had always thought that Sora didn’t know. He glanced at Kairi, sleeping restlessly on the couch, tossing and turning now that Sora was gone. Her hands reached out, grasped the empty air, and tears rolled down her face.

“Are you angry because I’m in the way?” Sora asked.

“In the way?” Riku repeated.

“Of you and Kairi,” he murmured.

“Sora, no. No, I’m not angry about anything like that, okay?” He glanced at Kairi again. “Even if I was, it wouldn’t be my place—or yours, for that matter—to choose for her.”

Sora studied her, reaching out for comfort in her own nightmares.

“Would you be angry if she chose me, Sora?” Riku asked instead.

Sora looked thoughtful, then sorrowful, and finally shook his head. “No, but I would be sad,” he admitted. “I love her, after all, but I want her to be happy more than anything.”

“Me too,” Riku told him.

Silence hung between them. Sora sat, unmoving, barely blinking, at the console lights. His silence unsettled Riku. Sora was rarely so silent, even now. Kairi murmured again, calling Sora’s name in her sleep. Riku wondered if she was having the same nightmare that Sora had. Sora turned to look at her, his expression somewhere between concerned and just exhausted. He started to get up, limbs dragging.

“Why don’t you take a shower?” Riku suggested instead. “Getting cleaned up might make you feel better.”

“But,” Sora protested as Kairi cried out again.

“I’ll sit with Kairi,” Riku said, “the whole time you’re gone.”

Sora searched Riku’s face and then nodded assent. “Okay.” He eased himself out of the chair, padded past Kairi, and disappeared into the bathroom.

Riku heard the water start up and then the ship was quiet again. The sound of the running water was loud enough to drown out Kairi’s little whimpers and pleas. Riku climbed out of the captain’s chair and crossed to where Kairi slumbered on the couch. There was space at her head if he moved the pillow and a little bit at her feet. After a moment’s debate, he picked up the cold pillow and slipped into its place. Kairi murmured and curled against the heat.

“Sora,” she moaned.

Riku placed a hand on her tousled hair. “He’ll be right back.”

She didn’t wake and didn’t appear to hear him, though she did drop back into a peaceful sleep.

Riku slid his fingers through the cool silk of her hair. He lost track of how long Sora was in the shower, absently stroking Kairi’s hair the way one would pet a cat. Finally, the bathroom door opened and a plume of steam puffed out. Riku smelled Sora’s favorite soap and looked over. Towel slung around his hips, Sora lingered in the threshold, silhouetted there like a ghost. He didn’t move, just stared at them.

“Sora?” Riku called lowly, careful not to wake Kairi.

In a flash, Sora had closed the space between them. His Keyblade materialized in his hand and he pressed it under Riku’s chin before he could even blink. Sora’s eyes were open, but distant and blank. He stared at Riku without really appearing to see him and then looked down at Kairi. He regarded her curiously, uncertainly, the way someone might look at a wild animal. The pressure on Riku’s windpipe eased.

“Sora,” he said softly.

Sora’s gaze snapped back to him, as smooth as glass.

“Steady, steady,” Riku said. It wasn’t often that Sora sleepwalked like this, but Riku had seen it before. Occasionally, Sora would have nightmares so vivid that he couldn’t tell dream from reality and wandered the Gummi Ship like a vengeful spirit. Riku usually kept some space between them while he talked Sora down, but he didn’t have that option now. “Steady, Sora. Did you fall asleep in the shower?”

“Is she real?” Sora asked.

Riku lifted his hand from Kairi’s head and his throat bobbed against the Keyblade’s cool surface. “Yes.”

“How do I know for sure?”

“Touch her,” Riku said. “She’s warm. You’re not asleep, Sora.”

“She’s warm in my dreams too,” Sora confessed. “But she gets colder.”

“Why don’t you sit down here?” Riku offered and tried to shift from beneath the Keyblade’s pressure.

Sora snapped, digging the edge of Oblivion into Riku’s neck. “Are you real?” he demanded. “Or am I alone?”

“I would never leave you alone,” Riku said firmly. “I haven’t left you alone.”

“You should have.”

“That might be true,” Riku said.

Sora tensed, the words cutting into him.

“But you’re my friend,” Riku continued. “I’m here for you.”

Sora loosened the pressure of the Keyblade again, gazing down at Kairi’s sleeping face. “She’s real…? I’m not dreaming again…?”

Riku took advantage of Sora’s lapse in concentration to grab the Keyblade in one hand and give Sora’s exposed forearm a pinch with the other.

Sora yelped and Oblivion disappeared in a riot of sparks. “That hurt!” he protested. “What was that for?”

“You thought you were dreaming,” Riku said and put a little space between them. He hated to see Sora space out like that, unable to tell the truth from his dreams. It never ceased to unsettle Riku, to make him feel like everything he had done to help Sora was pointless. He paced to the sink and turned it on, running the water until it was cold.

“Sorry,” Sora murmured. “It’s just… They’re so real sometimes.”

Riku took down a glass and filled it with cold water. “You have to calm down, count to ten or something, remember? It was just a dream and you…” He rubbed a hand across his neck where the Keyblade had dug in.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Riku said and took a long drink. “But you have to be careful. What if you did that to Kairi?”

“I wouldn’t hurt her,” Sora said quickly.

“I know you wouldn’t, but you would scare her.”

Sora couldn’t argue that. He adjusted the towel around his hips. “It was so real,” he said again.

Riku filled the glass a second time and carried it over to Sora. “Drink.”

Sora started into the glass.

“Do you trust me?” Riku asked him.

“Of course,” Sora said. “But… you don’t trust me?”

“Show me you can be trusted,” Riku said. “Drink that. Take your pills regularly. Talk to me a little more.”

Sora made a fragile sound in his chest and took the glass. He sipped it. “I’m sorry, Riku,” he said finally. His voice cracked. “I just… I don’t know how to stop. I don’t know what to do. It feels like something inside me is… broken. I want to heal it, I do, but… How can I? What can I do to get better, Riku?”

Riku studied him, unable to speak.

“The things I see at night, in my dreams… Riku, you can’t even understand what it’s like. I can’t escape the way I feel—how messed up I feel—even when I’m asleep. I thought once we found Kairi, that everything would get better, but… I feel like I’m dreaming all the time. Is this real? Or not?”

Riku took the glass from his shaking hand and set it aside. “Sora, I’m here for you.”

Sora tucked his face into his hands and made a sound of deep despair. “I’m so sorry, Riku. I really am,” he whispered. “I’m sorry that I did this to you. I’m so sorry.”

Riku pulled him close, tucking Sora’s head under his chin. “It’s alright,” he said soothingly. “I’m here for you. I’m here.”

Sora wrapped his arms around Riku’s chest and burrowed into his embrace. “Thank you,” he croaked.

Riku patted his wet dripping hair. “Get dressed,” he said. “You’ve had a rough few days. I’ll make you something to eat.”

Sora nodded, peeled himself away from Riku, and opened his mouth to apologize again.

Riku waved him off. “Get dressed before Kairi sees you.”

Sora glanced at her, blushed, and hustled away with his towel. A few minutes later, Sora emerged clad in his usual pants and tank top. He looked oddly exposed without his armored jacket, shoulders thin and bare. He padded into the kitchenette and began helping Riku pull things out of the fridge. They fell into an easy rhythm, Sora doing the manual labor while Riku actually cooked.

The smell of food roused Kairi and she sat up, groaning as she stretched. “Is it morning already?”

“Not really,” Riku told her. “More of a midnight snack.”

“I’m starving,” she murmured.

“Well, I made too much. I always make too much. Come, sit,” Riku called.

Kairi climbed out of the couch and perched on a seat at the table. Sora poured out glasses of juice and then sank down beside her. Riku finished the scrambled eggs, sautéed mushrooms, and sausage. Dumping everything into a bowl, he set it steaming on the table between them. Plopping down across from Sora and Kairi, it was the closest he’d been to normal in a long, long time.

XXX

Questions, comments, concerns? 


	11. Sunrise, Sunset

2010: Yay! I have as many reviews as I have chapters! Let’s try to keep it that way!

2019: Wow. Let’s just all breathe in the excitement of me-nine-years-ago to have eleven whole reviews.

XXX

When Kairi woke the next morning, she was still curled on the sofa. Her leg itched where she had scratched it up and she ran her palm over the magically-healed skin. She looked around the Gummi Ship, becoming aware of the sound of water running and the distinct lack of Riku. Sora was at the stove, stirring a large pot absently. From behind, with his damp hair plastered to his head, Kairi took a moment to recognize him. Her breath caught and she almost screamed before he turned to regard her with cerulean blue eyes and a warm smile.

“Kai,” he said sweetly. “Good morning.”

“M-morning,” she sputtered.

“Something wrong?”

“Your hair,” she said and smiled slightly. “I didn’t recognize you.”

Sora put a hand to the top of his head, rolling his eyes up as though he could see that way. “Oh, right. I just got out of the shower.”

Kairi closed the space between them and experimentally fingered a sodden chocolate lock. “You look different,” she giggled. “It’s cute.”

Sora laughed in return. “Thanks,” he said. “There’s no chance it’ll stay like that. The second it dries—boing!”

Kairi giggled.

Riku had taken clean clothes into the bathroom with him and emerged fully dressed to the sight of Sora and Kairi laughing. A swell of warmth took up root under his ribs and he smiled. Even though Kairi’s pretty eyes were marred with dark circles and her fingernails were chewed, even though Sora looked just as thin and exhausted as always, Riku felt—for the first time—that things might be okay.

“Good morning,” Riku said cheerfully.

“Morning, Riku,” Sora greeted.

“Good morning,” Kairi said. She shuffled, her face downturned and her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt with shame.

“Are you feeling better?” Riku asked, his gaze flickering from Kairi to Sora.

Sora didn’t look as ashamed as Kairi. Instead, he said, “Yes. I slept better than I have in a while.”

Riku’s heart warmed just a little bit more. Sora was trying—trying hard to be the kind of person Riku could trust, the kind of person Kairi could trust. Riku knew it was going to be hard, going to take time, to see Sora return to the happy-go-lucky person he had been before Kairi was stolen, but this was a start.

Kairi shuffled a little more before appearing to take a page from Sora’s book and honestly answered, “I had a lot of nightmares last night.”

Sora reached for her hand.

Riku was a little surprised that she let him take it.

“We’ll protect you, Kai,” Sora said. “He won’t get through Riku and me.”

Kairi smiled weakly and squeezed his fingers.

Riku stepped past them and reclaimed his position at the stove, stirring the oatmeal vigorously to stop it from sticking. “Hungry?”

“Starving,” Sora said.

“Me too,” Kairi agreed.

“Set the table then,” Riku said. “And get some fruit out.”

Sora pulled open the fridge, removing plastic containers with slices fruit and the jug of milk. He said everything on the table and then retrieved dishware. Riku spooned the steaming oatmeal into each bowl and then put the pot in the sink to soak. They sat down and Riku started passing the fruit.

“Thanks for cooking,” Sora said and dug in heartily.

Kairi ate more slowly, enjoying the tastes of fresh fruit. She hadn’t had fruit in years. The slop she ate in the brothel was worlds below Riku’s cooking. Tears pricked her eyes and she swallowed.

“Everything okay, Kai?” Sora asked, pausing with his spoon halfway to his mouth.

She sniffled and hastily blinked away the tears. “Yes. I’m fine,” she said, but her glittering eyes betrayed her.

Sora set his spoon down and turned fully to face her. “Please, Kai, don’t push me away,” he said pleadingly. “You can talk to us about anything. We’re here for you.”

Riku sat back and didn’t interject.

“It’s nothing,” Kairi said weakly. “I’m just… It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to eat like this.”

Riku’s heart constricted.

Sora ventured, “What do you mean?”

Kairi stirred her breakfast, letting a blueberry slide off the end of her spoon and plop back into the bowl. “It’s just… We were no better than livestock on that ship,” she murmured. “We ate gruel—tasteless stuff… It’s just… It’s been a long time since I had fresh fruit like this.”

Sora took her hand, cradling it between his palms. His thumb rasped over the bridge of her knuckles.

Kairi met his earnest gaze and couldn’t help the little smile that touched her mouth. “I’m glad to be back,” she said.

Sora grinned.

“We’re glad to have you back,” Riku told her.

Kairi dove back into her breakfast, eating with more enthusiasm than Riku had seen in her so far. Sora went back to his own breakfast, eating awkwardly with his left hand because Kairi was still holding his right. Riku smirked and tucked back into his bowl, tasting the sweet blueberries and tart raspberries with a new appreciation.

After breakfast, Kairi went in to shower and Sora dug through his drawers for some old clothes that might fit her. After producing some shorts and a belt to hold them up, he found a t-shirt that had shrunk when he tried to magically wash it, and carried the new outfit to the closed bathroom door. He knocked but the door was locked.

“Kai?”

“Yes,” she called over the sound of running water.

“I’ve got clothes for you. I’m putting them here outside the door, okay?”

“Thank you,” she answered.

Sora set the clothes down and returned to where Riku was sitting at the cockpit. Sora didn’t sit, but instead stood at the windscreen, looking out at the street below. Despite the rough night, they were up early and the sun was just peeking over the tops of the palm trees.

“I took my antidepressant after breakfast,” Sora told Riku. “Just one.”

“Good,” Riku said.

“Have you seen anything outside?” Sora asked.

Riku shook his head. “No, there’s been no sign of him. Yesterday when he shot you, I sensed darkness, but I haven’t even felt that.”

“Do you think he gave up?”

“I highly doubt it,” Riku said. “He’s out there somewhere, lying in wait.”

“We can’t hide forever,” Sora remarked. He summoned his Keyblade and looked down at Oblivion with concern.

“Can you call up Oathkeeper?” Riku asked.

Sora’s brow furrowed with concentration. Oblivion’s dark shape wavered but didn’t give way to the light and curls of Oathkeeper, Sora’s bond with Kairi given power and form. “Not yet,” Sora said in a low voice. “I haven’t been able to summon it since she was taken.”

The bathroom door eased open and Kairi stuck her hand out, groping for the clothes Sora had left. She drew them inside like a gremlin and shut the door again.

“I wonder if Kairi is still able to summon Destiny’s Embrace,” Riku said softly. “Selphie and Yuna said she mentioned not being able to fight back.”

Sora released Oblivion and rubbed his hands together. “We could start training again.”

“That would be nice,” Riku said. “It would be good for Kairi to regain her confidence, too.”

Sora nodded. “Maybe… we can get out with our friends. Dom should be less inclined to attack a group.”

“Something to consider,” Riku agreed.

The bathroom door opened again and Kairi emerged in Sora’s clothes. She looked much better having showered and changed out of Riku’s massive borrowed clothing. Her ruby tresses were ruffled from the towel and curled cutely around her cheeks. She padded over to them, a little smile on her mouth. “What’cha talking about?” she asked lightly.

“Training again,” Sora said.

Kairi’s eyes darkened. “Oh, I… I can’t. I haven’t been able to summon my Keyblade or do any magic since I was…”

“It’s okay,” Riku said quickly. He didn’t want Sora’s excitement to undo any of the progress Kairi had made. “We’ll help you. Your Keyblade is tied to you so you haven’t lost it. You’ve just… forgotten how to use it or it’s blocked from you in some way.”

“I think it’s blocked,” Kairi murmured. Her hand strayed to her lower belly, pressing over the dark mark. “I tried to summon it. I tried to fight the moment I was taken, but I couldn’t. It never came.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sora said. “I couldn’t summon my Keyblade for a while either.”

The events of Hollow Bastian knocked against Riku’s heart. Guilt swelled in him, but he crushed it down. “Before anyone gets too excited, I need a nap. I’ve been up all night,” he said. “You two just hang out. Play a game or something while I get a little rest. We’ll talk more about training when I get up.”

“Okay,” Kairi agreed. “Sleep tight, Riku.”

“Sora,” Riku said and the inflection behind Sora’s name was enough. ‘Protect her,’ Riku was saying with that tone. ‘Don’t let anything happen to her.’

“I will,” Sora told him.

Kairi glanced between them, uncertain.

“Alright,” Riku said and stretched out of the chair. “Try to keep it down. Give me at least two hours.” He disappeared into his room and closed the door. Once he was inside the cool darkness, he flopped facedown on the bed and pulled the covers up over his back. Exhausted, he was asleep within moments.

…

“What do you want to do, Kai?” Sora asked once he could hear Riku snoring.

Her gaze strayed longingly out the window at the sunrise. “We have to stay inside, don’t we?”

Sora followed her gaze. “We should,” he agreed slowly.

Kairi bit her lip and then looked around the Gummi Ship for something interesting.

Sora didn’t want to see that look of sorrow on her face. “Unless,” he offered, “If you want to go out, it’s still early. Riku said he hasn’t seen or sensed anything. I think we’d be okay.”

“Just for a few minutes,” Kairi said eagerly. “I just want to watch the sun come up. There were no windows in Dom’s ship.”

Sora’s heart jumped unpleasantly.

Kairi clambered to her feet and was halfway to the door before he could stop her.

“Wait!” Sora shouted.

Riku’s snore faltered and then resumed.

“Put on my armored jacket. There are protection spells on it,” Sora said. “And stay close to me, just in case.” He expected the reminder of the danger outside the ship to make Kairi change her mind, but it didn’t. She shrugged into Sora’s jacket and met him at the doorway.

“Just for a few minutes,” she repeated.

Sora took her hand and stepped outside, letting the door close softly behind them. The scent of the ocean was strong and the cool breeze buffeted them. Sora could smell the strange mix of Kairi’s skin and his own shampoo in her hair. She shivered and stepped closer to him, her shoulder warm against his side. Like he used to, he put his arm around her and held her close.

“Let’s go,” she said. “I want to see the sunrise.”

Together, they strode down to the beach. Sora scanned the rustling foliage raptly, but nothing jumped out at them. Leaving town behind, they walked down the boardwalk and stood on the edge of the dock where the view was the best. There was still a ribbon of night sky, speckled with diamond stars, behind them. The ocean sparkled like a sapphire, waves lapping against the golden sand and bringing in jewel-colored shells. It felt like so long ago that Sora had collected them for Kairi’s lucky charm—his Oathkeeper.

Sora kept himself on high alert, senses stretched out for any disturbance, but it was like Riku said. He didn’t feel any darkness and his awareness was preternatural from all his days of battle. He relaxed a little, just enjoying Kairi’s closeness and the beautiful sunrise. The breeze smelled of hibiscus and salt. In the distance, there was a muted cry before some dolphins broke the surface. The sleek creatures leaped and danced, laughing to each other. Kairi shivered faintly, the breeze nipping at her bare legs, and hugged Sora’s jacket a little tighter around her shoulders.

“What did you miss the most, Kai?” Sora asked.

She smiled sadly, her eyes shadowed. “I missed the ocean and I… I missed you the most.”

Sora’s gaze lit on her, bright and sweet. Hidden worries danced in his eyes, doubts and fears—that he wouldn’t get better, that he wouldn’t be good enough for her, that he would scare her again.

“Yes,” she told him. “I missed you so much.”

Sora still held her to his side and took her other hand, intertwining their fingers together. She gripped him tightly, her nails digging in for just a moment, like she thought she would be ripped away. Sora breathed her in, felt the heat of her, and let a ribbon of tension fade with the waves. She was here, she was safe, no one would ever take her from him again.

“Let’s walk,” he said softly.

Holding her protectively, he jumped down from the high boardwalk and landed in the soft sand. She laughed, the wind whipping in her face at the rush of movement. She wrapped her arm around his hips, clinging to him as they made their way down to the edge of the surf. The sand was firmer there and walking was easier.

“I missed you too,” Sora said finally.

Kairi watched Sora’s throat working furiously as he tried to say something else. After a long moment, he shook his head instead and tried to put a little space between them.

Kairi held on to him. “No, tell me.”

“It’s nothing. I promised Riku I would be better,” Sora told her. He toed off his shoes and picked them up. “Walk with me?”

Kairi wanted to ask what exactly he had promised Riku, but didn’t. Instead, she kicked off her flip-flops and picked them up.

Arm in arm, they walked some more. It felt like their childhood—before anyone was lost, before weapons became a thing of everyday life, before the Heartless and the Nobodies, before there was darkness… Sora squeezed her closer, jumping slightly as the cold surf lapped at his ankles. Kairi chuckled and paused to let the cold water splash her as well.

“Sit with me?” she asked.

Sora nodded.

They put some space between themselves and the surf and sat down on the warm sand. Kairi dug her bare toes in, but Sora did not. They watched the waves roll closer and closer with the tide. With Sora’s longer legs, the water was once again lapping at his ankles in no time. The sun crested free of the early morning clouds and fell on Sora’s handsome face. Kairi couldn’t help but stare at him—at the devilish curl of his lips, at the sad noble line of his nose, at the wrinkle of his brow, at the rich color of his stunning cerulean eyes. She had missed him so much.

Though she had wanted to watch the sun come up and look at the ocean, she found herself only looking at Sora. She didn’t realize that she was leaning towards him until her shoulder bumped his. He turned to look at her and suddenly their faces were so close. She could feel his breath on her lips. Though startled, she didn’t pull away.

“Kai?” he murmured. “What are you doing?”

“Just—just… touching you,” she whispered. “Is that okay?”

“Sure,” he said.

She tucked her fingers into his elbow, hugging against his side. “I like touching you.”

Sora reached to cup her face and she flinched before she could stop herself. He withdrew his hand without speaking.

“It’s not you,” she said quickly. “I’m still scared. I… I went through so much.”

“You’re scared of me?” he asked.

“No, not really,” she told him. “I was… a whore. Dom sold me and everyone else to whoever would pay. I feel dirty and used up. I don’t feel like I should touch you, even though I want to. I don’t think I… deserve you.”

Sora rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “It’s the opposite,” he said softly.

“What?” she asked.

“I don’t deserve you,” he said. Her forehead was warm and her hair tickled his cheeks. “We finally found you and I’m so… messed up. You deserve to have someone who can be there for you completely.” He shuddered, inhaling the scent of her. “But I need you too and I know that’s unfair, but I… I still need you. I don’t think I can get better without you.”

Kairi didn’t respond.

When Sora opened his eyes, he saw that she was silently crying.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” he murmured. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “After all, I need your help too.”

“I’ll protect you,” Sora told her. “No matter what.” He pulled her into his side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Is it okay for me to touch you like this?”

She nodded and leaned her weight into him, digging her feet deeper into the dampening sand. She rested her cheek against his, feeling the tickle of his hair. She closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth and comfort that came from him. Peace descended on her and she breathed out, the band around her heart loosening. Sora was with her and she would be safe. Everything would be okay.

“Kai—”

Someone clapped loudly, the brittle sound slicing through Sora’s voice.

Kairi felt him move, jerking around to face the source of the sound. Leaned against him the way she was, she nearly toppled and only clutched on to the back of his shirt to keep from falling.

“What a lovely little scene you two make,” Dom taunted. “A whore through and through, aren’t you, Kai? It’s only been a few days and you already found a new mark.”

Kairi choked, unable to breathe. Fear gushed through her, numbing her limbs and making it impossible to think. She wanted to run, but her hands tightened in Sora’s shirt.

Sora leaped to his feet, one arm around her waist, dragging her up with him. Then, he bottled her up behind him, using his body as a shield. She clung to him, numb feet stumbling backwards when he moved. His Keyblade snapped into his hands, Oblivion dark and dangerous-looking.

Dom grinned, his crooked white teeth showing the way they did in all Kairi’s nightmares. “Tell me, Kai, what does the Key Bearer pay? Is he a good client? Maybe we can keep him on the roster after I take you back.”

Sora’s lips pulled back over his teeth and Kairi felt the muscles in his shoulders bunch. She forced herself to loosen her grip so that she wouldn’t be dragged along when he attacked. “You are never going to touch Kai again,” Sora snarled.

Dom cocked his hip. “How cute,” he remarked. “You have the same little pet name for our slut. Do you want to share her? I’ll give you a choice of holes.”

Sora’s body vibrated with anger, but he brandished the Keyblade in front of him instead of attacking. The last thing he wanted was to scare Kairi again or leave her exposed. “Get back,” Sora demanded and took a step backwards in the soft sand.

Kairi stumbled behind him, not expecting his retreat.

“Get back. I will take you down if you try anything,” Sora repeated.

Dom took a step towards them.

Sora stopped moving away. He shifted position, prepared to spring. “Step back or I will kill you.”

Dom’s face showed the first flicker of fear. He must have remembered Sora attacking him in the brothel, recalling the feeling of Oblivion at his throat and Riku slamming into Sora with enough force to crack his head. Sora was not someone to be trifled with, especially now. Kairi would never really know what Dom had planned to do. Was he attacking or retreating?

In that moment, the tide rushed in and the cold water lapped against Dom’s shins. He took a step forward, towards them, and Sora lunged. They collided, crashing into the surf and sand. Sora pressed him under the water, his knee in Dom’s chest, Oblivion jammed under his chin. Dark magic exploded from Dom’s thrashing hands.

Sora was hurled backwards, skidding on the sand to regain his footing. He glanced at Kairi and moved himself between them. Dom staggered out of the water, coughing and cursing. His face was murderous, eyes nearly black with magic. He cast spells in quick succession, hurling black flames at Kairi to force Sora on the defensive. Sora blocked over and over again before finally reflecting the hideous flames.

Dom screamed in horror as the magic ricocheted. He threw up his hands to block the fire and Sora came up behind them. Kairi heard something crack. She saw Dom’s black eyes bulge, his veins standing out on his face with effort. He tried to summon up another spell, something to blast Sora away. Magic surged and Sora batted it aside. The sand exploded a few feet away, turning the shower of particles into glass with the heat.

Kairi shrieked and dropped to her knees, covering her face from the stinging shower. She expected Sora to return to her side, but the moment passed. She became aware of the sound of blows raining down. Dom grunted and cried out. Then, he fell silent. Kairi heard only the sound of the waves and Sora’s little grunts of exertion.

Slowly, she lifted her face from the haven of her arms. There was a crater in the sand a few feet away, smoking, dark magic pluming up from it like a beacon. Sora had Dom pinned beyond that. As Kairi watched, he raised his Keyblade and brought it down—again and again and again. Blood was flecked on what she could see of his face and torso. Dom was no longer moving.

“Sora,” Kairi sobbed. Her legs trembled, too weak to support her. “Sora!”

Sora didn’t respond. His arm went up, came down, up, down.

Kairi stopped hearing crunching. It began to squish. She curled her arms around her head and cried. The waves drew closer and closer, the sun higher and higher. She grew warm, but didn’t move either to find shade or to remove Sora’s jacket. She wasn’t really crying anymore, just breathing shallowly, her eyes burning from the salt and the sand. Mindlessly, she lay a few feet from the smoking crater and the scene of the crime.

XXX

I gave Dom dark magic on this go around to make him more of a threat. It felt both easier and different to write him that way. The first go through in which Sora kills a not-innocent human who really isn’t a threat and this second time in which Sora kills a dark magic user in more self-defense tells a different story to me. It feels a little truer to Sora’s character, which I now know and love because I’ve played through all the games. [But I am still intrigued by my original plan of having Sora just murder a man because he’s a terrible person with no defense in mind.] What are your thoughts?

Questions, comments, concerns?


	12. While You Were Sleeping

I had a mini vacation this weekend—went to the beach, hung out in the pool, and it was lovely. [I had to work the Fourth of July holiday when everyone else was off.]

XXX

When Riku woke an hour later, the Gummi Ship was silent. He lay in bed for a while, just listening. What were Sora and Kairi doing that it was so quiet—sleeping, playing a game, whispering? He listened to the steady drone of the Gummi Ship’s engines, but there were absolutely no other sounds. His skin crawled, nerves prickling. He threw back the covers and hurried into their living space. It was deserted.

“Sora?” Riku called, his voice rising. He crashed open the door to Sora’s bedroom. It was empty, the bed neatly made and dirty clothes tucked inside the hamper. The risen sun shone cheerily through the small window, illuminating the closet. Sora’s favorite picture of them lay facedown on the dresser. Riku spun from the bedroom.

“Kairi!” He slammed open the bathroom door and flipped on the light to a similar sight. The white tiles were as he remembered—in need of a good scrubbing but otherwise the same. There was no blood, no sign that either of them had packed up and run for it. Sora’s toiletries were still in the cabinet, right beside his own and the ones he had put out for Kairi.

Riku barreled back into the living room, but everything was as it had been before he laid down to nap. There was no sign of a struggle. Sora and Kairi were just… gone. Riku stuffed his feet back into his boots, grabbed his jacket, and snatched Sora’s little pouch of magic items off the table just in case. Then, he blew out of the Gummi Ship and leaped into a fast glide. He stretched out his senses—first for the snippet of darkness that had attacked them yesterday, then for anything out of the ordinary. He sensed nothing. All was quiet.

If everything was fine and they had just left, they would have gone to the beach. Riku aligned his body, breaking into a swifter glide. He was going to yell at the two of them until he was blue in the face for scaring him like this. Then, he saw the plume of smoke coming from the shoreline and his heart stopped. He crested the outcropping of palm trees and looked down on the scene of carnage.

There was a smoking crater, the sand turned to glass by incredible heat, just a few feet from Kairi. She lay on her side, red hair fanned around her head like too much blood. Her eyes hung open, staring at some distant point, and her hands were clasped to her mouth. Riku would have thought the worst had happened if not for the tiny tremors that wracked her. She was alive.

A few feet from her, positioned between Kairi and the encroaching surf, was Sora. There was a man’s shape pinned underneath him. Riku’s heart jumped and sputtered. Had Dom found them, attacked them? Was Sora okay? Was Kairi okay? Riku landed hard, closer to Sora, prepared to help if needed. However, once he approached, he realized that Sora didn’t need any help.

Sora’s arm came up and down mechanically, making a steady thumping-squishing sound. Oblivion was splattered with gore. The sand all in front of Sora was red-tinged. When Riku carefully circled to get a look at Sora’s face, he saw that it too was coated in blood. Sora’s blue eyes were fixed, like Kairi’s, on some distant point as he repeatedly clubbed Dom’s face in. There wasn’t much left at this point, just a squishy mess.

Riku acted rashly. He closed the space between them, grabbed Sora around the waist, heaved him off the corpse, and nothing short of hurled him into the frigid waves. Sora went under and emerged a second later, coughing and sputtering. He crawled from the waves, wheezing, bloody water streaming off his body. His face was a mess, blood and salt-water dripping like tears.

Riku ignored Dom. He was dead—there was nothing to be done.

He turned his attention to Kairi, giving Sora a moment to hopefully pull himself together. He touched her shoulder and she winced into the sand, hiding her face with both hands.

“Sora,” she sobbed. “Sora.”

“He’s okay,” Riku told her. Since she hadn’t screamed when he touched her, he gingerly forced her to sit up and cradled her in his arms, just in case he had to make a quick getaway. “He’s not hurt. Are you?”

Tremulously, Kairi only shook in his arms. She didn’t answer save to curl against him more tightly.

“Kairi?” Riku repeated. He combed some wild hair out of her face. “Can you hear me? It’s Riku. I’m here.”

She didn’t lower her hands. From behind that meager shield, Riku heard hiccupping little sobs.

Riku heard Sora slogging through the sand, dripping, breathing hard. He hit his knees at Riku’s side.

“You killed him,” Riku said flatly.

Sora’s face was white beneath the bloodstains and his blue eyes were void. “He attacked us,” he said weakly.

Riku glanced at the smoking crater. That much was true, but the unrecognizable lump of flesh that was Dom’s face spoke beyond self-defense. However, now was not the time to dive into that.

The sun was coming up and the island would soon be a bustling place. People would be coming to the beach soon and Riku didn’t need them to stumble across an otherworldly corpse.

Riku hitched Kairi against his side and dragged her to her feet. With his free hand, he grasped Sora’s upper arm and hoisted him up. “Call Oblivion,” he ordered and tipped his chin at the blood-splattered Keyblade lying in the surf. “We’ve got to go. I need to call the police and the king. We have to get this taken care of before it becomes an incident.”

Sora stretched out his hand and Oblivion materialized in his grasp. He stared at the blood, at his own sticky dirty hand, and then Dom’s body. “I… I killed him,” he said softly. “What… what now?”

“He was a wanted criminal that escaped custody,” Riku said hastily. He tried to drag Sora away from the scene, but Sora dug in his heels.

“But… I killed him,” Sora repeated. “It was… self-defense, right?”

“Maybe the first time you hit him,” Riku said without thinking.

Sora froze, his muscles bunching under Riku’s hand.

Riku tightened his grip. “Don’t,” he said sternly. “Stay with me here. We have to call the king and the police. You’re a Key Bearer and he was a criminal. I’m sure you’ll have diplomatic immunity or something. If you don’t, we’ll figure something else out, okay?”

Sora shuddered but finally fell into step behind Riku.

Kairi hung from Riku’s grasp, limp, staring, her entire body quavering.

Riku hitched her up, tried to get her to stand, and finally said, “Kairi, you’ve got to walk, okay? I can’t carry you.”

Something in his voice appeared to penetrate her catatonia. She managed to get her feet underneath her and took a few wobbly steps. Riku kept his hold on her arm and towed Sora behind with his other hand. He hustled them both through the sand, his heavy boots sinking uncomfortably, and jostled them up onto the boardwalk. Kairi sat numbly, staring at the expanse of beach before her. Riku stepped into her line of sight, hoping to block her view of Dom’s body. Sora stood frozen beside Riku, his Keyblade dragging in the sand.

Riku turned to face Sora, grasped his shoulders, and gave him a little shake. “Sora, I need you to snap out of it,” he said. “Get it together, okay? You can break down later.”

Sora blinked at him. His gaze strayed to Kairi, still clutching his armored jacket around her shoulders. There was a smear of blood on her face, probably transferred from Sora to Riku to her when he touched both of them.

“Sora, make eye contact with me,” Riku continued. “Listen.”

Sora dragged his gaze back to Riku.

“I’m going to start dealing with this,” Riku explained. “Go back to the Gummi Ship and put in a call to Mickey. Get him in involved. Then, take a shower. Once you’re cleaned up, come meet Kairi and I at the police station. Okay?”

Sora stared at Kairi for a moment, looking like he was about to protest.

“No,” Riku said firmly. “Kairi stays with me. She needs something. She’s in shock. Go—get cleaned up—and meet us later. Now.”

Finally, Sora nodded and sheathed his Keyblade.

Kairi’s eyes followed him as he retreated.

Riku wondered what she was thinking—what Sora was thinking. Just when things had seemed so good, had seemed like they were getting better, things had to go wrong… At least Dom was dead. He would never bother Kairi again. Riku consoled himself with that knowledge and gently touched Kairi’s shoulder.

Her attention snapped back to him, blue eyes wide.

“Are you okay?” Riku asked. He licked his thumb and wiped the blood off her cheek, pleased to see that it wasn’t an injury. “Are you hurt?”

“Sora didn’t hurt me,” she said. “He didn’t let Dom hurt me.”

“That’s good,” Riku said softly. “That’s good.”

Kairi turned to stare after Sora, but he had disappeared around a crop of palm trees. Her chest hitched as she breathed, like she wanted to call after him, but then choked the urge back. She looked up at Riku, her eyes luminous and sparkling. Her lower lip quivered.

“Did you see everything that happened?” Riku asked.

She nodded, the beginnings of tears growing in the corners of her eyes.

“Okay,” he said soothingly. He fished through all the pockets of his trousers until he found his Gummiphone. “Can you stand?”

Shakily, Kairi got to her feet and swiped at her eyes.

Riku thumbed through his contacts, wondering if he should warn Mickey before Sora had a chance to call or if he should just go right to the police on this world first. “Will you walk with me?” he asked Kairi. He wanted to keep people away from Dom’s body until something could be done.

She nodded and clasped his free hand.

Riku squeezed her fingers and led her along the beach, carefully keeping himself between her and Dom’s body. He decided to start by calling Destiny Islands’ Police Department. He figured it would take them a little while to arrive which would give him time to warn Mickey and the others about what happened before Sora called and made them all worried sick.

As he gave his name to the emergency dispatcher, Kairi wriggled her hand free of his and stepped around him.

“Kairi,” he hissed, cupping his hand over the mouthpiece. “Come back here.”

“I want to see,” she said softly.

Riku hustled after her and stood at her side while she looked down on the ruined face of the man who had kidnapped, raped, and prostituted her. He half-expected the scene to play out like something from a movie—a blinding moment of clarity or peace after which everything went back to normal. However, Kairi just stood there, staring at the unrecognizable lump of meat. She didn’t outwardly look upset or relieved. She just stared at him until the whine of police sirens made Riku pull her away. He hoped that—whatever that was—it had been enough for her.

…

Sora didn’t call King Mickey once he arrived at the Gummi Ship. He didn’t know what he would say, how he would begin, how he would end, what would happen afterwards. Instead, he ducked into the white bathroom and stripped off his soiled clothes. He left speckles of blood on everything he touched. Revolted, he stepped beneath the burning spray without adjusting it. Crimson and salt sloughed off him, swirling away down the drain.

Sora scrubbed his skin madly. He dug at drier patches of blood with his fingernails and he scraped away knots of flesh as he did so, adding his own blood to the mix. He tore his hands through his hair, scratching his scalp and jerking his fingers through the tangles. He did all this with his eyes squeezed shut, unwilling to look at the mess he had made. The scalding water burned the tops of his shoulders and down his back. After several minutes, when he opened his eyes again, the water still ran red.

Sora cast a healing spell on his clawed arms and seared skin, jolted immediately by the pain of the hot water on his new flesh. He turned it down to a more manageable temperature, watching as his body knit back together. Then, he stared at his feet until the water finally went clear. He shuddered out a breath and shut off the hot water with a shaking hand. His skin ached, even beyond the healing spell.

He stepped out of the shower and stood for a moment, dripping on the plush rug. The mirror was steamed over so that he couldn’t see his reflection. He was grateful for that. The sight of his hands was enough—he remembered what they looked like, covered in blood. He didn’t need to see the expression on his face. Nausea clawed up his throat and he swallowed thickly.

Sora grabbed a fluffy white towel from the rack and dried himself hastily. Wrapping the towel around his hips, he picked his bloody clothes off the floor and threw them in the trash. The slips of silk Kairi had been dressed in at Dom’s brothel were still in the garbage can. Sora’s bloody clothes covered them up. For a moment, he stared at the metal can. He wanted to light the whole thing on fire.

Shaking himself, he turned his back and opened the bathroom door. The chill of the Gummi Ship after the scalding water and steamy bathroom raised goosebumps all over his bare chest and arms. Shuddering, Sora turned to go into his room and startled violently. Kairi was standing there, her hands folded and her face turned down. He stumbled back, his feet almost going out from under him as he tried to put space between them.

“Kai,” he whispered, horrified. The last thing he wanted was for her to see him like this.

She stepped a little closer and the light from the open bathroom played on her face. “Sora,” she said softly.

“What are you doing?” Sora asked. “You’re supposed to be with Riku.”

“He’s still at the beach,” she murmured, “looking at the body…”

Shame clogged Sora’s chest. “But—”

“King Mickey’s there. He warped over to be with Riku,” she explained. “Donald and Goofy walked me here.”

Sora glanced around the Gummi Ship, but it was empty. The front door was closed.

“They left,” Kairi told him. She rolled her shoulders in a half-shrug. “I’m not in danger anymore. Dom is dead.”

Bile rose in the back of Sora’s throat, burning, strangling him. He spun away from her and doubled over the toilet, coughing, but nothing came up.

Kairi slipped into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and wet a cool washcloth. She draped it carefully over the back of Sora’s neck, her fingers lingering for just a moment on his bared flesh.

Self-conscious, Sora tightened his grip on the towel around his hips. The urge to empty his stomach passed and he slumped against the tub, staring at Kairi.

Somehow, she looked a little better. There was a sort of brightness in her gaze as she looked at him. “Dom’s a criminal and you’re the Key Bearer,” she said softly. “King Mickey is going to bury it. The police will bury everything that happened.”

“That’s,” Sora said, “good…”

Kairi twisted her fingers in her lap, kneeling on the cold tile a few feet from him. “Sora, on the beach—”

“I killed a man!” Sora burst out. His voice stuck, cracked. “Kai, I killed him right in front of you. I’m—I’m so sorry!”

Kairi reached out, touching his naked knee.

Her touch stilled him, steadied him. How could she touch him? Wasn’t she revolted? If she was able to touch him, then…?

“I was going to thank you,” she told him. “I wanted to thank you for protecting me. I wanted to thank you for killing him. I wanted him dead.”

Sora’s heart skipped in his chest, shock welling up like blood in a wound. “You… you did?”

Kairi searched his face and started to draw her hand away.

Sora quickly grasped her fingers, tugging her closer, encouraging her to talk to him.

“After everything he did to me, why shouldn’t I want him dead?” Kairi asked him.

While Sora had considered her feelings, he hadn’t thought she would be pleased. However, he couldn’t imagine the relief that she must have felt now—to know that such a terrible man would never plague her again. If he was in her place, he realized he would have wanted the same. A little bit of the knot in his chest loosened.

“After he said those things in front of you, I wanted him to die,” she continued. “I wanted him gone, Sora. I really did.”

Sora ran his thumb over her knuckles and then shivered, his wet skin prickling with goosebumps in the cool air.

Kairi’s gaze flit across his bare torso and legs. She reached out with her free hand and gingerly grazed the flesh of his stomach. “You’re so thin,” she whispered.

“It’s been hard,” Sora whispered.

“You’ve suffered so much because of me,” Kairi murmured. Her voice was small. “You’ve sacrificed so much for me… so many times…”

Sora looked up and saw tears glittering on her long lashes. “Kai,” he said softly.

“I don’t think I ever thanked you for that,” she continued. “I never thanked you for any of it. Sora, thank you.”

“You don’t have to, Kai,” he told her.

She leaned towards him, the heat from her body pressing against his cold skin. All at once, he wanted to get back into the shower. He was still dirty somewhere. There must have still been blood on him, on his hands, in his hair. He didn’t want her to touch him. Swiftly, Sora got to his feet and slipped his hand out of hers. He clutched the towel to his hips.

“I… I have to get dressed,” he said despite himself. He brushed past her.

“Sora,” she called at his back. Her voice, so small and broken, made him stop.

The knob to his bedroom was cold against his palm. He hesitated there. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just… I need to be alone right now.” He ducked into his room and closed the door too hard, unable to shake the feeling that his closing door had sounded like a cell slamming shut. Was he condemned now, slathered in darkness for what he had done?

Kairi went to his closed door and rested her forehead against it, straining to hear Sora. He was silent inside. She couldn’t even make out his breathing. Maybe she shouldn’t have told him how she really felt. Sora was such a good person. Hearing that she had wanted her abuser dead was probably not the best thing to say to her unstable friend.

Not wanting to be caught loitering outside his door, she pried herself away and went to sit on the couch. The worn cushions cradled her warmly. She was still wearing Sora’s armored jacket and snuggled deeper into it, wrapping herself in his scent. She closed her eyes and, for the first time, she was not assailed by images of Dom’s white yet crooked grin. Exhausted, she fell asleep.

…

It was late when they finished with the scene on the beach. Riku promised that he would bring Sora and Kairi to meet with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy the next day. Assuaged of some of their worries, the king and his men headed off to spend the night on their own ship since Riku’s was too small to accommodate more people. Besides, he wasn’t sure how Sora would take to seeing his friends again. He had no idea what state Sora was even in. He was simply comforted by the fact that when Kairi had gone back to the ship hours ago, she hadn’t returned to Riku’s side crying. Whatever had happened, it probably wasn’t that bad—all things considered.

Riku sighed heavily and dragged his hands over his exhausted face, digging into the tight muscles of his forehead with the tips of his fingers. He groaned and started his walk back to the Gummi Ship, too tired to summon the magic to glide there. At least, it was over. Dom was dead. Considering the smoking crater on the beach, Sora’s tale of defense was sufficient. No one was going to try to put the Key Bearer in prison for this.

Riku wouldn’t have let such a thing happen anyway. He would have given Sora the keys to the Gummi Ship and told him to take Kairi and never come back. However, it wasn’t going to be that serious. It was good to have a king and powerful interdimensional magic on your side. Hopefully, the hardest part was behind them now.

When Riku arrived, the interior of the Gummi Ship was dim and quiet. He flicked on a few lights, illuminating Kairi. She was nestled on the couch, wrapped tightly in Sora’s jacket. Her face was smooth, her brow unfurled, and her lips slightly parted as she breathed. Sora was nowhere to be seen, but the shower wasn’t running and his door was closed. Sora was hopefully asleep. He slipped past Kairi and loitered at Sora’s door, listening. From inside, he heard a tiny sound—a small broken thing, part-whimper, part-cry.

Riku returned to Kairi and plopped down on the couch beside her. The force was enough to jostle her awake.

She sat up with a groan, rubbing her bloodshot eyes. “Riku?”

“What are you doing?” he asked, too tired to mince words.

“What?” she asked, her lips parting slightly in confusion.

“Sora,” Riku said plainly and tipped his chin at the closed door.

She stared at the door for a long moment, her eyes sad. “He said he wanted to be alone,” she said softly.

“And you just let him be?”

Startled, Kairi searched Riku’s face. “Yes. I mean… that’s what he asked for…”

“Since when do you just listen to either of us?” Riku asked.

Kairi glanced down at her hands. “What do you mean?”

“The Kairi I remember would never have just left Sora along when he was distraught. She would have Velcro-ed herself to his side even if—even when—he tried to push her away. You’ve always given Sora what he needed the most, right when he needed it,” Riku told her. He tipped his head back against the couch and shut his eyes. “Me too. But Sora doesn’t need me right now.”

Kairi fidgeted.

“So,” Riku continued, “what are you doing out here, sleeping on the couch?”

“Can I… can I still go to him?” she whispered.

“I think he wants that,” Riku told her, “but he doesn’t know how to ask. After everything you’ve been through, he wouldn’t know how to ask you to help him, but he needs you. He’s always needed you.”

Kairi bit her lip and stared at the closed door. Then, resolutely, she got to her feet.

Riku cracked his eyes open and watched her.

Before she left, she grasped a blanket and drew it over Riku’s legs and chest. “Sleep well,” she said softly.

Riku smiled thinly, like a crescent moon.

Kairi padded across the floor, hesitated a moment outside Sora’s door, knocked just once, and then let herself inside. The door closed softly and the light didn’t come on. Though Riku listened, he couldn’t make out anything they were saying—if they were speaking at all. The Gummi Ship hummed and Riku fell asleep quickly, exhausted from the night and day.

…

Sora’s room was dark and cavernous. Sora had drawn the curtains shut, blocking out all but a sliver of moonlight that slanted across the bed, and a low floor fan droned peacefully. The stirring air was cool on Kairi’s bare legs and forearms. She shivered and shut the door with a click. Sora was a mere shadow on the bed, curled on his side with his back to the door. He was shirtless, half-dressed in cotton pajama bottoms. The matching top was lying on the floor, cool under Kairi’s bare foot when she walked over it. His naked skin, usually caramel in the sunlight, looked like paper in the darkness. A constellation of freckles dotted the tops of his shoulders and there were several pearl-white scars on his back.

“Sora?” Kairi ventured. She perched on the edge of the bed. All at once, it felt like being on Dom’s ship again, comforting a new girl after she had been raped the first or thirteenth time. That was one of those things that never got easier. Kairi swallowed those thoughts.

“Kai, please…” Sora murmured. He curled in on himself, his skin stretching over his ribs. The bones stood out as he breathed.

She didn’t say anything. Instead, she reached out and rested her hand on his bare shoulder. His skin was cool to the touch and satiny-soft. She could feel the dip and bump of his joint. He was so thin, it felt like a bird’s skull. Gingerly, she rasped her thumb over the protruding bones.

To answer her silence, he rolled over to face her. She let her hand trail over him as he moved, coming to rest on the bare expanse of his chest instead. His body was thin, but strong. His muscles were lean, corded, defined. His blue eyes gleamed, searching her face as she gingerly traced her fingertip down the line of his chest. There was a massive scar in the middle of his torso, a mark that ran the length of his sternum. It was white and jagged, painful-looking, even healed now. It felt slightly cooler, rougher, than the rest of his skin.

“This is from…”

“When I freed your heart in Hollow Bastion,” he said quietly.

Kairi had been unconscious, a puppet, without heart or soul then, but she still thought she could recall the image of him plunging that Dark Keyblade into his chest. The memory twisted inside her, squirmed like a snake. Hesitantly, watching his face for signs of discomfort, she rested the whole of her palm over the mark. She could feel his heartbeat beneath.

She murmured, “This scar… it’s—”

Sora looked away and reached to remove her hand. “Horrible, I know,” he said darkly. “I see it every day. I’m sorry.”

Kairi let him push her hands away from his chest, but held his hand even when he tried to let go. “I wasn’t going to say that,” she told him.

His bright eyes lit on her face and then he closed them. “Oh?”

She couldn’t help but think that he looked as though he was bracing for a blow. “I was going to thank you again,” she continued. “And… it’s—you’re beautiful, Sora.”

His eyes snapped open. For a moment, he just stared at her. Then, he slowly sat up and turned more fully on the bed to face her. The moonlight was behind him now, illuminating his hair in a halo and casting a shadow across his face. “You really mean that,” he breathed in disbelief. He reached to touch her and hesitated.

Kairi leaned into his fingers, encouraging him. His palm was rough on her cheek, but his touch was incredibly gentle. She leaned into his hand, feeling his thumb stroke the soft skin beneath her eye. Her forehead brushed his and she settled against him. His breath puffed nervously on her lips. She moved slowly, resting her palm on his chest again, and she could feel his heart pounding.

“Sora,” she whispered.

He shifted and his lips just brushed hers. It was the lightest touch, so faint that she momentarily thought she had imagined it completely.

“Can I stay with you?” she asked.

Sora nodded, his lips touching hers again when he moved. “I’d like that,” he whispered. “Please stay.”

Though she didn’t want to, she drew away from him and felt the loss acutely. However, Sora made space for her in his bed and lay on his side, facing her. Kairi curled beside him, her head resting on his pillow, and shivered faintly when the cool air from the fan blew on the back of her neck. Gently, he adjusted his jacket around her shoulders and smoothed his thumb against her neck. Then, getting comfortable, he timidly rested his palm on her hip. His other hand lay between them, palm up, and she slid her fingers into his grasp.

Sora lay awake for a little while, his eyes drooping occasionally, but he always fought them back open.

“I’ll be here in the morning,” Kairi said finally. “You don’t have to stay up.”

“Promise?” Sora asked.

She nodded.

Finally, he closed his eyes. It was mere seconds before he dozed off. His breathing was deep and even, punctuated by tiny snores every fourth or fifth breath. It reminded Kairi so much of the time she used to spend lying on the beach with him that she almost cried. Instead, she cuddled a little closer to him. His arm went around her back naturally, pulling her closer without the worries of his waking mind to stop him. Kairi enjoyed the feeling, the closeness of sharing a bed with someone she trusted and cared for. It was something she hadn’t had since she had been taken.

Unbidden, she thought of that tiny brush of his lips against her own. Warmed all over and kept that way by the press of his body, Kairi fell asleep too.

XXX

Questions, comments, concerns? 


	13. A New Dawn, A New Day

2010: I got sick on vacation and had to come back early. Screw my life.

2019: I remember that. That was super weird. I was supposed to spend a week in Hershey Park with my brother and randomly just got so sick that I had to come home.

XXX

A beam of sunlight slanted across Kairi’s face through the crack in the curtains. She woke slowly, coming back to awareness as though swimming through warm water. When she finally opened her eyes and found herself entwined with a man, there was a moment of panic. Had everything just been a beautiful dream? She breathed deep and the scent of Sora’s skin filled her lungs. She relaxed and instead took a moment to catalog the feeling of his warm bare skin against her cheek. His heartbeat was slow and steady in her ear.

In the night, she had snuggled into him, holding his heart against hers. Through his cotton pajamas, she could feel his sleepy morning erection, but she let go of the little bubble of worry that lodged in her chest. This was Sora. This wasn’t some John that had paid for a whole night with her body. This was Sora, her best friend.

His face was smooth with sleep, unmarred by all the thoughts that troubled him during waking hours. His mouth shaped a faint smile and Kairi wondered what he was dreaming about. His eyes moved beneath his lids, dark lashes lying against his cheeks like twin fans. His nose quirked slightly, tickled by Kairi’s long hair and the scent of her.

Smiling faintly, she pressed her nose into the hollow of his throat and breathed. His honey-golden skin smelled of metal and sea-salt and his soap and something else that was completely him. She inhaled deeply, nuzzling into him despite herself. She pressed the length of her body against his warmth.

The movement behind his eyes stopped and he sighed, rousing from his dreams. His eyes fluttered open and he lifted one hand to rub them. Then, the sunlight caught in his gaze and he saw her lying in his bed with him. His gaze strayed over her face, searching for discomfort and then running down the length where she was pressed against him. He flushed and shifted his hips away before catching himself. He smiled at her, eyes glowing with an emotion Kairi had all but forgotten.

“Hey,” he greeted.

“Morning,” she murmured. She nuzzled into him, delighted, and smiled.

Sora squeezed her close, relishing the feeling of her in his arms. She was warm and alive and whole and so precious. While he traveled—saving the worlds, destroying Heartless, chasing Riku—he would have given anything to have her at his side, in his arms, holding her against the aching muscles of his over-worked frame. She was such a comfort to him, even the phantom thought of her.

After she was stolen, Sora would have given up ever touching her again just to know she was safe. It seemed impossible that she was finally—finally—safe at his side. Dom would never harm her again. Sora had made certain of that. In the morning sunlight, holding Kairi in his arms, it was difficult to feel guilty for what he had done.

Sora shifted his position, rolling a little bit to lie on his back. Kairi followed, spooning against his side. Her curves were soft against all the hard places on his body. She tucked her head close to him, resting her cheek on the curve of his shoulder so that the tip of her nose brushed his jaw. Her sweet-scented hair fanned across his pillows like a spill of silk. He ran the strands through his fingers, feeling the length. One of her arms was tucked between their bodies, preventing her breasts from pressing into him, but her other arm was draped over his hips. She slipped one leg over his, pulling him closer. He could feel the heat of her on his thigh, soaking into him.

He didn’t act on any of it. Instead, he rubbed her back over his armored jacket. “How did you sleep?” he asked.

She tipped her chin up and smiled at him. “Fine,” she said. “No nightmares that I remember.”

“That’s good,” Sora said.

She wriggled, her body sliding against him deliciously.

Sora tensed, willing himself to relax. The last thing she needed was—

Kairi gasping, realizing the position she was putting them both in. Abruptly, she snatched herself from him and sat up on the bed.

Sora pulled the blankets into his lap, hiding the evidence. “It’s okay, Kai,” he soothed.

She breathed out raggedly and then scraped a hand over her face. “I know, Sora, I know. It’s just…”

“You don’t trust me?” he murmured, thinking of what Riku had said.

“I trust you,” she said softly. “But I… How could I ever…? I’m scared.”

“Don’t be,” he whispered. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Kairi breathed out shakily and drew her hand down. Her face was white and her eyes glittered.

“I love you,” Sora said.

Kairi’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

“For what it’s worth, I’ve always loved you and I always will. I’ll be here for you,” Sora said, “whatever you need.”

“Sora,” she breathed.

There was a rap on the door. “Sora?” came Riku’s voice. “Kairi? Are you awake?”

Putting aside this conversation for later, Sora pushed back the covers and went to open the door.

Riku’s emerald eyes scuttled awkwardly across Sora’s bare chest and then darted to Kairi but she was wearing the same clothes from the night before, no more and no less. Relief fluttered under Riku’s ribs. The last thing either of these two needed was complications brought on by jumping into bed together.

“Morning Riku,” Sora greeted.

“I didn’t want to wake you, but Mickey and the others are here.”

Sora swallowed, his throat flashing. “Sure,” he said. “Let me get dressed.”

Riku nodded and shut the door.

Kairi didn’t move from her position on Sora’s bed. She stared at him, licking her lips.

“I’m going to get dressed,” Sora told her. “Do you want some clean clothes?”

Kairi slipped off the bed and nodded.

Sora rummaged through his drawers until he found a second pair of pajamas with an elastic waist and a clean t-shirt. He handed both over to Kairi and turned his back, uncertain if she was going to step into the bathroom to change or not. He removed his usual wardrobe from the closet, putting his magically-enhanced garb back on for the first time since they had found her. With all that lay ahead of him today, he felt that he needed the protection it offered. He heard fabric rustle behind him and tensed.

“Don’t look,” came Kairi’s small voice.

“Of course,” he agreed. His chest warmed with the thought that she did trust him—trusted him enough to change behind him. That was enough for now.

A moment later, she said, “Okay. I’m ready.”

Sora had the fleeting thought that she looked good in his clothes before thinking that he couldn’t wait to see her back in her preferred wardrobe of pinks and purples. It would be nice to see parts of the old Kairi. She opened the bedroom door and emerged to find Riku and Goofy standing together at the stove, making pancakes with increasingly-elaborate flips. Mickey and Donald were seated at the table, watching the antics over steaming mugs of coffee.

Mickey saw them first and greeted with a sedate, “Good morning, Sora, Kairi.”

Goofy’s pancake splatted on the table as he snapped around. “Sora!” he shouted in delight.

“Sora!” Donald shrilled.

In unison, the mage and soldier flung themselves at Sora and captured him in a bearhug. Sora squeezed them both in return, looking small in Goofy’s arms. However, when his friends pulled away, there was a new light in his eyes that Kairi couldn’t remember seeing before. He smiled broadly and gave Donald one final squeeze.

“It’s great to see you,” Sora said brightly.

More calmly, Goofy opened his arms for Kairi and gave her a chance to reject his embrace. Kairi fell into him, tucking herself against his warm chest. He was taller and broader than Sora and Riku both. Being held by him almost felt parental and tears stirred in Kairi’s eyes. For the first time, she thought of her adoptive parents.

“Kairi?” asked Donald. “What’s wrong?”

“Did I squeeze you too hard?” Goofy asked gently.

Kairi shook her head and swiped at her cheeks. “I was just thinking… um, are my parents here?”

Riku and Sora exchanged a sorrowful look.

“Kairi,” Mickey called. “Come sit with me.”

Riku stepped away from the stove, letting Goofy take over cooking breakfast. He sat down at the table.

Mechanically, she slid into a seat beside the king and he held her hand.

With Riku directly across from her, Kairi could see how hard it was for him as he struggled to find the words to tell her something terrible. Part of her already guessed what it was.

Sora sat down on her other side. He rested his hand on the table for her to take if she wanted.

She was too cold and stiff to move towards him. Instead, she tightened her grip on King Mickey.

“Kairi, after you were taken, there was a fire,” Riku said finally. “Your parents were killed.”

She shuddered. “Was it Dom? Did he—?”

Riku shook his head. “It was just an accident. There was a leak in the gas line. It caught and exploded. I looked into it, Kairi.”

She stared down at Mickey’s hand, his dark skin disappearing into his white glove.

“I’m sorry, Kairi,” Mickey said softly. He squeezed her hand.

Goofy set the plate of pancakes between them. “We did bring good news,” he offered timidly.

Kairi sniffed and wiped her face, but her eyes were dry. She was shocked, but there wasn’t room inside for sadness right now. “I could use some good news,” she said softly.

“While Sora and Riku were looking for you, Sora’s parents moved away, but we raided our war treasury and bought his childhood home,” Mickey explained. “The two of you can stay there, if you like.”

“We spent the whole morning cleaning it,” Goofy added. “It’s move-in ready.”

“What about me?” Riku chimed in, trying to lighten the mood.

“Your father is waiting for you, I’m sure,” Goofy said with an air of understanding.

Riku grumbled, but smiled faintly at the thought of seeing his father again. It felt like so much time had passed since he had last been home.

To Sora, Kairi asked, “Your parents moved away?”

“They thought it would help,” Sora said softly. “Start fresh, you know? Away from all the memories, but I wouldn’t go. Riku and I took the Gummi Ship and just left to look for you. They said they wouldn’t be here when I got back, but I didn’t believe them at the time.” Sora rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

Pouring out glasses of orange juice, Goofy touched Sora’s shoulder. “I’m sure they’d welcome you back if you only asked.”

Sora smiled thinly. “I’m sure they would,” he said.

Kairi got the impression that Goofy and Sora had had this conversation more than once.

However, Goofy let the words fall away. Instead, he loaded pancakes on Sora’s and Kairi’s plates and handed them napkins. “Dig in,” he said. “I made too many, as usual.”

Sora beamed. “I haven’t have your pancakes in forever.”

Goofy laughed.

Everyone took up a seat around the table and dug in. Riku, Goofy, and Donald kept the conversation light. Kairi didn’t taste the pancakes at first, numbed by the news that her parents were dead and that Sora’s had abandoned him, but the flavors of cinnamon and sweetness slowly exploded on her tongue. When she looked up from her plate, the world looked a little brighter. She might have lost things, but she had gained more.

…

Yuna and Selphie arrived after breakfast, bearing the bags of clean clothes they had helped Kairi purchase. Selphie greeted Donald and Goofy like old friends, but Yuna hung back and quietly spoke with Mickey for a moment. Kairi stood at Sora’s side, drying the dishes as he washed them, passing them to Riku to put away. She smiled when Yuna approached.

“Hey,” Yuna greeted. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay,” Kairi said honestly. “I already knew things weren’t just going to go back to normal, but…”

“I’ll go with you to visit your parents, if you want,” Yuna offered.

Kairi shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m not ready for that yet.”

Yuna nodded in understanding. “Selphie and I brought your clothes, in case you wanted to change.”

Kairi looked down at Sora’s clothes and smiled. “That might be nice.”

“I also wanted to offer,” Yuna continued, “you can stay with Selphie and I if you like. We’ll make room for you.”

“I’ll be getting my own apartment pretty quickly too,” Riku interjected, “if you wanted to stay with me.”

Selphie shot him a glower as though he had an ulterior motive.

The soapy plate slipped from Sora’s fingers and landed with a crash in the sink, but didn’t break.

“I’ll think about it,” Kairi said softly. “I’m a little overwhelmed by all of this.”

The others immediately backed off the discussion of where she would be staying and fell into an easier conversation about how they were going to celebrate Kairi’s return. They kicked a bunch of ideas around, squabbling. It felt like Kairi’s youth, the way it used to feel when she was here with all her friends. She smiled and handed Riku the last plate.

“Riku, Sora,” Mickey said when they finished. “We need to talk. Will you both come with me?”

“Sure,” Riku said.

Sora nodded. With a glance over his shoulder at Kairi, he followed the king out into the sunshine.

Goofy and Donald trailed after them.

“I’m going to get changed and then, will you go with me to the beach?” Kairi asked as she picked up the bags Yuna and Selphie had brought her.

“Sure,” Yuna said.

Selphie looked a little nervous but didn’t protest.

Rather than go into the bathroom, Kairi let herself into Sora’s room and closed the door. She dumped the purchases out on Sora’s unmade bed, hardly able to remember what she had chosen. She pulled on clean underwear, surprised by how strange it felt. Then, she dressed in sturdy denim shorts and a t-shirt that was cut for a woman’s figure rather than Sora’s. She fingered Sora’s armored jacket for a moment before giving in and putting it back on. Then, she slipped her feet into her sandals.

Yuna and Selphie were waiting, sharing a leftover pancake.

“Ready?” Selphie asked.

Kairi nodded.

Together, they walked back to the beach. Though Kairi had just been there yesterday, had seen Dom’s body zipped into a black bag and rolled away, she still caught herself looking for him. The crater had been smoothed over, though there was still evidence of it. The blood was gone.

Kairi turned her back and stepped into the cold surf. The ocean lapped at her skin like an old friend.

Yuna dropped to her knees at the edge of the waves and began building a sand castle. Selphie strode ahead, searching for shells and bits of driftwood for Yuna’s creation. After a few moments, Kairi joined the search. It felt good to work the wet sand through her fingers. She felt the ocean washing away both her calluses and the things that she had been through. When they finished with the castle, the tide had gone out and they walked among the shoals. Kairi found a beached starfish and cupped it in her palms. She carried it back to the ocean and released it. It felt like she let a weight go along with that starfish.

…

They lost track of time at the beach. By the time Selphie thought to check her phone, it was lunchtime. Kairi’s stomach growled heartily. They walked into town and Yuna treated them to lunch at a little taco shop. It had been a long time since Kairi had tacos and they were unhealthy in a way the things Riku cooked weren’t. Licking grease and melted cheese from her fingers, she delighted in everything.

“Ready to go back?” Yuna asked.

Kairi nodded.

“Riku sent me a message,” Selphie said, swiping through her phone. “He and Sora left the Gummi Ship. He says you’re welcome to stay wherever you like tonight, but to let him know so he doesn’t worry.”

Kairi thought about it while they walked back to the ship to fetch her clothes. Laden with bags, she finally told Yuna her decision.

“Are you sure?” Selphie asked. “You really can stay with us. We’ll make it work.”

“Thanks,” Kairi said, “but I’ve been away long enough.”

“She’ll be fine,” Yuna told Selphie with a smile.

They walked her most of the way there, peeling off only when it came time to walk to their apartment. They passed Kairi the rest of the bags and wished her luck. Kairi felt that she didn’t need it. Wearing new clothing for the first time in years, with Sora’s jacket still around her shoulders, she felt as though she could face anything. Before she knew it, she was at the doorstep of the house she had known all her life. It was like she remembered, if a little weather-beaten and faded, much like the way she was. However, a hibiscus was blooming near the door and she could hear the waves.

Kairi knocked once and let herself in.

XXX

In the original version, this was the chapter that Kairi went shopping in, but I moved that part up a bunch of chapters. I think it fits better this way. I also added much more with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy—because [since I’ve played the games now] I realize how cool they are and how close they are to Sora.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	14. Sanctuary

2010: Actually, I plan to finish this up by 15 chapters, if everything goes as planned, which is always a bit of a struggle for my stories as characters like to leap off the page and have to be wrestled/threatened back into their proper places. I mean, look at Sora! He’s going nuts here and I had to reign in Yuffie and Selphie in the last chapter. They were just supposed to see the scars and go shopping: that was it! But they had a whole love fest!

2019: “All worthy work is open to interpretations the author did not intend. Art isn't your pet—it's your kid. It grows up and talks back to you.” Joss Whedon.

XXX

Leaving Kairi behind felt like a hole had been punched through his stomach, but Sora felt relaxed in a way he hadn’t been in years as he stepped through the threshold of his childhood home. It was much the way he remembered it as it turned out that King Mickey had purchased it the moment his parents had decided to sell it. Everything that they had left behind remained exactly where they had left it, but Donald and Goofy had cleaned up. Gone was the dirty laundry and dishes, the layers of dust, the smell of stale air. It was good to be home, even if the empty house prickled at his heart.

Goofy was right. All he had to do was reach out and his parents surely would accept his choices. They just hadn’t known how to handle a Hero of the Worlds like Sora. How did they tell him to stop looking for the girl he loved because it was killing him? How did they tell him to stay home? How did they stop him? They couldn’t and they couldn’t just watch so they had left.

Sora fingered a freshly-dusted photograph of his family that had been left behind on the mantle. He was very lucky that Riku had stayed with him as long as he had, keeping it together, keeping Sora from falling further and further apart. He was very lucky they had found Kairi alive at all. He was incredibly lucky.

With a sigh, Sora roamed the halls and rooms. He had missed his home. He had missed his friends, his old life, himself. He felt more stable than he had in years. His chest was loose and he had slept so well the night before with Kairi in his arms. He couldn’t help but hope that she would choose to come stay with him, but he couldn’t blame her if she chose Yuna’s apartment or Riku’s family home.

Though he had showered the night before, he felt gritty and dirty. The frank talk about what he had done and why with King Mickey had humbled him. He was lucky to have friends in high places. Not many others would get away with what he had done without a single consequence. However, as they dropped him off at home, Goofy and Donald had squeezed him tightly. No one blamed him, even for caving in Dom’s face after he was dead.

Kairi was happy that her abuser was dead. She had wanted him dead.

Riku told Sora that—Kairi had told Riku, too.

Sora admitted to Riku that Kairi had told him the same thing.

Chased by those thoughts, Sora headed upstairs to his childhood bathroom. It felt a little smaller than he remembered, but the towels smelled of his mother’s preferred brand of detergent. He wondered if she had left a bottle behind or if Mickey had somehow guessed. Inhaling the scent, he stripped out of his clothes and stepped beneath the steamy spray.

The warm water beat on his back, the pressure much higher than the Gummi Ship could manage. Sora delighted in it, scrubbing his hair clean and then his body. He watched the water swirl away down the drain. Though there was nothing visible, he still felt like something was being washed away.

The water washed away his worst memories.

When Kairi had slipped through his fingers and into hell...

When he had fought Riku on that asteroid...

When he had attacked Dom on sight in the brothel ship, forcing Riku to fight against him…

When he had overdosed on all his pills, spiraling downward at an uncontrollable pace…

When he had beaten Dom to death in front of Kairi…

The water washed it all away, leaving his mind clearer than it had been in years.

Without so many bad thoughts pressing in, Sora thought of last night—when Kairi had come to him in his bed. She had said he was beautiful. She had touched him, even his scars, even though he was shirtless. Her body had been warm against him. He had held her all night, sleeping dreamlessly. He could still feel her nuzzling into him.

He probably shouldn’t have told her that he loved her, not right now, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret saying those words. They were the truth. He did love her.

She had looked so surprised that she hadn’t even answered. He supposed it made sense after everything that she had been through. She was probably frightened. He vowed to talk to her about it, lay her fears to rest if he could. He didn’t want anything from her, just her friendship. If she never loved him, that was okay.

Clean and warm, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. The mirror was foggy and he drew his hand across it, revealing his thin face and red-rimmed eyes. His hair was already starting to stand on end again and he mournfully ran his fingers through the tangles. He opened the bathroom door and shivered when the chilly air met the humid warmth of the shower. He padded down the hallway to his old room. He had partially unpacked his clothes, but the dresser was full of things he hadn’t worn or seen in years. He would need to go through everything and dispose of what no longer fit, but he would do that later.

He dressed in some soft shorts and a tank top that showed his shoulders. He planned to take himself for a long walk on the beach.

He had left his Gummiphone out, waiting to hear form Riku or Selphie on where Kairi was going to stay, but no one had called or texted yet. He assumed that she would choose to stay with Yuna and Selphie. Some girl time would probably make her feel more comfortable. Checking the phone again, he tucked it into his pocket and headed out the back door.

The sun was high in the sky, bordering on two o’clock in the afternoon. His childhood home was only a short walk from the beach, something he had taken advantage of in his youth. Now, it was soothing to be able to hear the waves from his porch.

Barefoot, Sora set off down the beach. He walked along the edge of the surf, the cool water lapping at his ankles. He walked for a long time, until he reached the edge of the island and stood alone at the base of the lighthouse. The waves broke around it, misting his hair and clothes finely. He breathed deeply.

Stretching out his hand, he summoned his Keyblade. Oblivion came into being, its weight warm and heavy in his palm. He stared at it, scouring the dark surface for any signs of Dom's blood, but the mythical blade was clean. It showed no sign of the threads of darkness in Sora's heart.

He shut his eyes for a moment, reaching inside his heart for Kairi's Oathkeeper. He tried to summon it in place of Oblivion. The form wavered, but didn't immediately change to Oathkeeper as it once would have. Satisfied that the light Keyblade had even considered answering his call, he let his Keyblade sheathe.

Then, he turned away from the lighthouse and headed back to his family home. He found a thalassa shell washed up on the beach. He picked it up, feeling the smooth ribs on his thumb. It felt like so long ago that he and Riku had both gathered them for Kairi's good luck charm. That was before darkness had ever touched these islands. That was so long ago.

Letting himself in the back door, he set the thalassa on the kitchen island. Habitually, he opened the fridge and peered inside. Goofy had stocked it with his favorites and Sora smiled. He selected a cheese stick from the crisper, tore open the plastic, and bit into it 'like a heathen,' as Riku would say.

Relaxed and sated by his snack, Sora climbed the stairs and stepped back into his bedroom. He pulled the drapes against the afternoon sun and turned on the ceiling fan. In the dimness, he found the remote for his television. The batteries were dead, but a quick thunder spell gave them enough juice to turn on the TV. The cable had been shut off, but Sora found a few movies under the bed. He plugged in a simple action film, peeled back the covers, and slipped beneath the cool sheets.

The mattress was much softer than his bed on the Gummi Ship. Sora's aching body melted into the embrace. The blankets smelled like Goofy and Donald, like magic and peace. However, it was strange not to hear the hum of the Gummi Ship's engines or Riku moving around. He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, thinking about going back out again. Instead, he absently watched the movie, his mind and spirit too tired to consider going back out. Riku probably needed a break from him and Kairi anyway. Before long, Sora dozed off in the middle of the afternoon to the rataplan of recorded gunfire.

Sora woke when the movie ended to find that dusk had fallen outside the curtains. Without the movie playing, the house was even quieter. He sat up with a groan, intending to put in another movie, when he realized that he wasn't alone. Someone else was here with him.

Sora startled and almost summoned his Keyblade. Then, he recognized the fall of cranberry tresses. He reached out a hand and gently touched Kairi's shoulder.

“Kai,” he murmured.

She made a small sound and inhaled deeply. She stretched a little, her hands reaching out, and her fingertips brushed his thigh. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, smiling in the faint blue light of the television. She looked beautiful, even more beautiful than usual, especially lying beside Sora in his bed.

“Hey,” she said softly. “I... I called Riku. I wanted to stay with you, if that's okay...?”

For a moment, Sora couldn't find his voice. He couldn't believe that she would choose him.

“Sora?” she asked nervously and sat up hastily. “I—I can leave, if you want.”

“No!” he half-shouted. He grasped her arm and pulled her against his chest, squeezing her tightly.

She gasped, her breath coming in a rush, before she melted into him. She nuzzled against his long collarbone, breathing the smell of his skin and hair into her lungs. She wet her lips and he shuddered. She knew he had felt the tiny movement and flushed.

“Kai,” he murmured. “I'm happy you're here. I'm so happy.”

Kairi tightened her hold on him. “Me too,” she whispered. “Sora, I... Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“You promise you won't be... upset?”

Sora pulled her a little closer. “I promise. What is it?”

“Um, it's just...” She drew back enough to look at him.

Sora was comforted by the fact that she didn't pull away completely.

“I, um, it's... Do you...?”

Sora brushed a little lock of hair behind her ear. “You can ask me anything.”

Steeling herself, Kairi asked, “Would you... still want to be with me if I didn't want to... have sex again?”

“What?!” Sora startled. His arms tightened around her.

Kairi yelped and squeezed her eyes shut, frightened of what she might see in his face.

“Why would you think that?” he asked.

“It's just...” She shuddered. “All those men that had me, that wanted my body, that... hurt me. I missed you and Riku so much, but... it feels like that was such a long time ago. I've forgotten what it feels like to have someone like you with me again. I'm afraid,” she confessed. “What if I can't ever give you... everything of me?”

Sora nodded thoughtfully, her words striking deep in his heart. His thumbs carded over her elbow soothingly. What could he say that would banish her fears, if there was anything he could possibly say? He chewed his lip and finally settled on, “Kai, can I tell you something?”

She nodded and a shudder ran through her. She trembled.

“I love you,” he said. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “I love you, not your body. If you ever want to try, I'm here. I'll start or stop as many times as you could ever possibly want. Even if I only ever get to just hold you, I'll always love you. I love you. I've loved you since we were children.”

Kairi breathed out shakily. She gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him slightly closer to her. A ripple of heat ran through her, settling pleasantly in her lower belly. The dark magic that Dom had carved into her danced oddly along her skin, rearing its head. She swallowed, fear mingling with her delight to be with him.

Sora placed another kiss on her cheek, making a loud cute smacking sound with his mouth. His face was flushed, but his smile was stunning.

Unbidden, Kairi drew closer to him. She wanted to taste that smile. “Sora, you really...?”

He tipped his head closer. “Yes, of course.”

Her nervous breath brushed his cheeks. “You really mean it?”

“I'll prove it,” he offered. “What do you want me to do?”

Kairi shook her head. “I believe you,” she said.

She leaned into him, pushing him back against the pillows with her weight. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as she burrowed into him. Their legs intertwined as they had been that morning. Again, he felt the heat of her core against his thigh. He tangled his fingers in her hair, combing the silken tresses through his fingers. She hovered above him, searching his eyes.

“Sora?”

“Hmm?” He drew a long strand of hair between his fingers.

“Have you ever...?” She trailed off, glancing between them.

He shook his head. “No. Never.”

“But, you're...” Kairi blushed.

“What?”

“You're the Key Bearer,” she said the same way one would say, 'You're a millionaire.'

Sora snorted just a little. “As if that makes princesses line up for me,” he said. “I've never even thought of anyone else the way I've thought of you. I've always—” He broke off, hesitating in light of what she had just confessed to him, but the words were already half out of his mouth. Instead, he continued, “I've always been waiting for you.”

Kairi's eyes swelled with tears and she tried to pull away.

Sora held her hands tightly, keeping her close. “No, please, don't push me away.”

“I can't,” she sobbed. “I can't give you... It was taken from me. I've been—so many times.”

Sora squeezed his eyes shut, her pain cutting into him. He was suddenly pleased that he had killed Dom. In fact, he wanted to kill that bastard again.

“I'm not pure like you, Sora,” she whispered. “I'm dirty. I've been used. I'm—”

“You're perfect,” he said, “to me. I promise, if you ever wanted to, it would be like no one else had ever touched you.”

She searched his eyes, her gaze awed and hopeful.

“Kai,” he repeated, “I love you.” He nuzzled her, his nose brushing hers. She smelled sweet and fresh, like the beach and the night.

“Sora,” she said softly. Her voice was weak, but she returned his gentle nuzzles. “Love. Does it... still feel the same?”

Shock lanced through Sora's chest. He cupped her face in his palm, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “I think so,” he said softly. “It feels like... walking into the light. It feels warm and safe. You would do anything, even die, for the person you love. Your heart feels full to the brim, spilling over, like there's too much blood so you give it to someone else. And when that person is gone, it's like a piece of you is missing.” He looked at her, studying the fall of the moonlight in her hair. She was looking at him with such intensity that he couldn't even breathe.

“You... Sora, you feel like that?” she asked. “For me?”

Sora nodded, unable to speak.

Kairi wet her lips and then leaned closer. Her hands were pressed over his pounding heart.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispered.

“Please,” she whimpered.

Sora closed the space between them, his lips alighting on hers as gently as a butterfly on a blooming flower. She made a desperate sound and chased his lips, breathing in his breath, clutching his bare shoulders. Sora held her tenderly, his palm cradling the back of her head. His free hand traced the curve of her side, the swell of her rib cage, the dip of her back. She lay against him, almost on top of him, her lips flitting along his. Sora kissed her again, his lips dancing against hers.

Slowly, the kiss tapered away. Kairi shifted to lay beside him, the light of the TV hanging in her eyes. Sora turned to face her, his arm around her. He traced her body absently, running his fingertips along her collarbones, over the swell of her breast, the curve of her hip, over her thigh. His hand slid down over her belly and he felt a sting. There was darkness there, carved into her body. It was twisting deeply, ugly and vile. It reminded him of Dom's darkness, of Dom's magic.

Kairi flinched when he touched it. “Don't.”

“What is it?” Sora asked. “I can feel dark magic.”

She took his hand and pulled it away. “It is,” she said. “I can't... I can't get pregnant. Dom made sure of it.”

Sora growled, his throat tightening. He reached for her shirt and she let him pull it upwards just enough that he could see the swirling ink on her white skin. It was almost like a tattoo, but also like a scar. “That monster,” Sora ground out. “He... he took that from you.”

“From all of us,” Kairi murmured.

“I'm so sorry,” Sora whispered. “I'm so, so sorry.”

Kairi tugged her shirt down over the mark and took his hand in her own. “It's not your fault,” she murmured. “It happened a long time ago, back when I was first taken.”

Sora rested his forehead against hers, his breath coming in little puffs.

“I... I love you,” Kairi said suddenly.

Sora drew back enough to look at her, his heart clogged up his throat and he swallowed it. It was too good to be true. “You—you're sure?”

Kairi bit her lip and closed her eyes. She appeared to think hard about it for a moment before opening her eyes again, meeting his gaze, and smiling wonderfully. “I'm sure,” she said. “Sora, I love you.” She rested her hand on his chest, right over his heart, over his scar. “I trust you. I want to stay with you for the rest of my life. I love you.”

Sora hugged her tight to his chest. His heart felt as though it was going to burst. An iron curtain, an impossible weight, was being lifted from his shoulders. The sorrow and pain, the desperation and anger were melting from him. Those emotions fell back into the shadows of his heart and left his doubting mind. Nothing would ever take her from him again. He would protect her with his very heart, no matter the cost, until he made the ultimate sacrifice. For her, that would be easy. He had already done it.

Sora inhaled the scent of her skin, breathing her in to him. He cradled her against him, pressing little kisses to whatever he could reach of his face. He wanted to pull her inside him, shelter her from the entire dark world, as he once had when their world collapsed.

Kairi clutched his top in her fingers, feeling the texture of the soft clean cotton. She threaded her fingers through his soft hair, angling his face downwards, letting him pepper kisses on her forehead and nose. Each little touch sent ribbons of warmth sliding through her body. She shuddered, delighted. She felt like a small bird, gathering the strength to fly again in his hands. Sora sighed, his breath warm on her throat, and he pressed another kiss there over her pulse.

Somehow, lying in his childhood bed like that, intertwined with each other, was more intimate than any sex they could have shared.

XXX

Anime lover bebe, Alice, Everhopefull83, KHGamegirl, SakuraSou1307, random reader, Swordstalker0, enigma infinite—people I wrote back to directly in my chapter after they left reviews in 2010—any of y’all still with me? I’d be interested to know.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	15. Darkness Against Light

Well, it's been fun rewriting this. I actually felt the desire to work on it, which I haven't felt for a story in a while. I'm not sure if doing this 'fixed' my lack of inspiration, but I'd be interested to know if anyone else had any thoughts they'd like to share.

XXX

Kairi woke to the best morning she could remember having in a long time. There was something about being cuddled against Sora, kept warm in his embrace, nestled protectively against his chest. It felt familiar and she was reminded of all the time her heart had spent inside of his. He was so warm and soft and wonderful. He felt like coming home.

She was home, she realized, almost for the first time. She had always hoped for this but as the years had dragged on, she had almost stopped believing it would ever happen. She had never given up hope, nurturing the little match-flame of light inside her chest, her faith in Sora keeping her alive. She nuzzled into the heated hollow of Sora’s throat with the tip of her nose.

Boldly, she pressed a little kiss to the thin skin over his pulse. Sora made a small sound, almost a purr that rumbled in his chest. The sound of pleasure coming from him warmed her heart. Encouraged, she pressed another kiss to his Adam’s apple. He murmured again and shifted, his beautiful cerulean eyes fluttering open. She felt his long lashes catch on her hair.

“Good morning,” Sora said softly.

“Hi,” she squeaked.

His gaze was so tender, so full of love and warmth, that she almost melted. How had she gotten so lucky? How had any of this worked out the way it had? Just yesterday, she had watched Sora bludgeon her abuser to death and now… all that felt worlds behind them. She hadn’t felt so light—so full of light—in years.

Sora stretched one arm, holding her close to his side with the other. “We should probably get up,” he mumbled. He yawned hugely. “What do you say?”

“Don’t want to,” she said and buried her face into his chest. “Let’s stay like this.”

Sora regarded her, his fingers catching on the tangles in her hair.

“Just for a little while longer,” Kairi continued. She snuggled into him, pressing the length of her body into his. “Please?”

“As long as you want,” Sora told her.

She smiled and burrowed deeper into his arms, fingers knotting in his shirt.

Sora cradled her head in his palm, drawing her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair. He could feel her warmth, her heartbeat, her light. Things felt so good—so much like they used to be. Sora was grateful beyond words.

…

There was no place quite like home. The Destiny Islands were beautiful, lit in their predawn hours by a glow of red, orange, and gold. The crystalline sky stretched on forever without a single puff of cotton-candy-fluff clouds. The cerulean water sparkled, glowing the same color as Sora’s eyes. The waves lapped at the golden sands, pushing up bright shells and horseshoe crabs that scuttled quickly back to the shelter of the sea.

Seated alone on his favorite bowed paopu tree, Riku felt at peace for the first time since Kairi had been stolen. It was so early and he was alone save a young woman swimming naked against the current. (He did his very best not to watch her.) He stared out at the sea, listening to the waves and the breeze. He couldn’t see the crater of Dom’s dark magic from where he sat, but he had walked past it on his way here. Relief welled up inside him.

It was over.

It was finally over.

The sun rose slowly, stretching fingers of sunlight through the sky and across the beach. The light warmed Riku’s face. Down the beach, the nude girl emerged and swathed herself in a towel. She noticed him, looked momentarily sheepish, and then waved. Riku lifted his hand in greeting and watched her hasten away up the beach. She stopped a few times to guide a horseshoe crab back into the surf. Riku turned his attention back to the ocean, breathing out the stress and letting the scent of the salt soothe his nerves.

After half an hour, he heard footsteps on the wooden bridge behind him. Then, bare legs were lifted over the trunk. Kairi settled into her place beside him and Sora jumped easily onto the low trunk on her other side, straddling it so he could face them. It was just like old times—just like it used to be.

Riku shifted his weight to regard them.

Sora looked more well-rested than he had in years. The dark circles under his eyes were just a little bit lighter and his smile stretched just a little further. Kairi looked similar, her eyes lit up from within with relief and happiness. Riku had intended to talk to them both about Dom’s death, but he could see that his worry was unnecessary.

“Morning,” Riku greeted.

“Good morning, Riku,” Sora said cheerfully. “It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day, doesn’t it?”

Riku turned his attention out over the waves. “High of ninety-five degrees,” he told Sora.

“Maybe we can swim today,” Kairi murmured.

Riku glanced at her. She was feeling along the bark of the paopu tree, her fingers mapping old scars from regular tropical storms. Her other hand held Sora’s. The sight warmed Riku’s chest. Thank goodness they had found her, brought her back, protected her. Sora loved her and she loved him. Thank goodness it was all over now.

“You two okay?” Riku asked.

Sora jolted. He glanced at their joined hands and then blushed adorably.

For her part, Kairi didn’t look ashamed in the least. She smiled at Riku and brushed her thumb over Sora’s fingers. “You’ve always known, haven’t you, Riku?” 

Riku picked up her other hand and squeezed it. Then, to Sora, he said, “Come with me a minute. I want to talk to you. Kairi, why don’t you look for shells?”

Fear flit across her face. She turned her head, spying the crater of dark magic down the beach.

“Kai,” Sora said softly. “You’re safe now.”

She let out a breath. “I know,” she said. “It’s just… old habits.”

Riku jumped down and stretched up his hands for Kairi. She slipped off the trunk, her scant weight sinking into Riku’s palms. He could feel her bones and made a mental note to cook something and bring it to Sora’s house for them to eat. Feeding Sora was an old habit now and Riku had actually become quite a good cook. He settled Kairi’s feet in the sand and then held up one hand for Sora. Sora touched Riku’s hand lightly, but jumped down without assistance. It was nice to see Sora feeling strong and steady again.

“See you soon?” Kairi ventured. Her voice was small and there was still worry in the line of her mouth.

“It’ll just take a minute, Kairi,” Riku promised.

“I bet you’ll find another Thalassa shell if you look hard enough,” Sora said brightly.

Kairi smiled and nodded.

Together, Riku and Sora watched her make her way down the beach. Her steps were hesitant at first, but she found courage the further she walked. By the time she reached the crater, she was standing tall. Her red hair flew like a banner in the wind and she turned her face into it, her smile illuminating the world.

After a moment, Sora turned his back on the sight and looked into Riku’s face. “What is it?”

“I wanted to apologize,” Riku said. “Before you went to the hospital, I saw you… deteriorating but I was more worried about Kairi. I didn’t help you. I thought that if I helped her, she might love me instead, but… I wanted her, but she’s meant to be with you. You’ve always been destined to be with her. You’re destined for each other. You have… something we never did.”

Sora dug his toes in the sand, wearing sandals for the first time in years rather than heavy boots. “Riku, I never really thought about the fact that you loved her too. I mean, you went into the Darkness to try to save her when Destiny Island fell. I never really thought about it. I’m sorry.”

Riku shook his head. His actions back then were incorrigible and he had already apologized for them. “It doesn’t matter what I did then,” Riku continued. “I just wanted to apologize to you for what I did now. There’s always been an ocean between Kairi and I, always…” He looked into Sora’s eyes, so open and trusting, beautiful and warm. “Take good care of her.”

Sora glanced over his shoulder, his eyes following Kairi down the beach. “I will.”

“Come here,” Riku said and pulled Sora into a tight embrace. Sora’s body was as thin and bony as Kairi’s, but Riku could feel his strength and his light. Sora coiled his arms around Riku’s back and squeezed him tight, burying his face against Riku’s chest while Riku fought to breathe through the riot of hair atop Sora’s head.

After a moment, Sora tugged away. He surreptitiously wiped his eyes and then smiled at Riku. “I’ll race you.”

“You’re on.”

In a gust, Riku took off gliding low over the sand, streaking up the beach towards Kairi.

“Not fair!” Sora shouted at his back.

Riku tipped his face into the rushing breeze and laughed. He blew past Kairi, circling around her.

She yelped, lifting a hand to tame her hair, but grinned when she saw him. 

Sora came gliding over, beaming. He landed beside her, feet sinking into the sand.

Riku circled them again before touching down.

Kairi clasped both their hands, squeezing Sora’s just a little bit tighter. She smiled at them both, happy tears catching in the corners of her eyes and on her lashes.

Together, they walked back to the bowed paopu tree. Riku leaped into his regular seat and watched as Sora lifted Kairi onto the trunk. He didn’t climb up beside her but remained at her feet, his shoulder warm against her legs. Their fingers were intertwined, Sora’s thumb brushing the ridge of Kairi’s knuckles. Kairi put her free hand into the cool silk of Sora’s spiky hair. Riku watched, his heart warmed by the sight of his two most precious friends, together at last. They were whole and nothing would come between them again.

Everything would be alright now.

…

At noon, Yuna called Riku and invited the trio to come to lunch with her, Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus. While Riku and Sora had been away from the Islands for years, it felt like they had been away from their favorite restaurant even longer. Riku had tried and failed several times to recreate the healthy mixed-up dishes. Kairi had never gotten to eat there as it had been opened after she was stolen. Eating their food was what put Riku on his path of ‘healing via cooking’ for Sora and he hoped that the food could do for Kairi what it had never done for Sora. He thought of both of then, skeleton-thin, and agreed to meet Yuna immediately.

“Where are we going?” Kairi asked.

“It’s a secret,” Riku said giddily.

Sora opened his mouth.

Riku pointed a finger in his face. “Don’t you dare tell her!”

Smiling, Sora shut it and shrugged at Kairi.

“They have the best food,” Riku said, “ever.”

“Ever?” Kairi repeated.

Riku nodded, jumped down from the paopu tree, and beckoned them to follow. They made tracks up the beach and into town. From the outside, the building was completely unremarkable. It was plain brick against the island surroundings and the sign heartily proclaimed in simple block letters, ‘Mama’s Kitchen.’ It didn’t really look like the kind of restaurant someone like Riku would get excited about.

Kairi entered behind him, feeling Sora’s palm against her lower back as he ushered her in. The interior was brightly lit from the wall of front windows, but otherwise just as normal as the outside. The tables were simple, the booths weren’t patterned, and there wasn’t even a particular style of décor. Simple framed photographs hung on the walls at regular intervals, though they showed many far-off cities and landscapes.

Yuna waved to them, seated beside Selphie at a long large table. Wakka and Tidus were already sitting across from the girls.

A bubble of unease welled in Kairi’s chest and she found herself stepping backwards.

Sora was at her back, his hands and chest warm against her. “Kai?” he asked. “You okay?”

Kairi took a deep breath and said, “Yeah. I’m fine.” Once the words were out, she felt the power of them. She was okay. These were her friends, Sora and Riku were with her, and Dom was dead. No one would ever hurt her again. She was completely fine here. In fact, she was starving.

Sora pulled out a chair for her and she sat beside Yuna while Riku took his seat beside Tidus. Sora sat at the head of the table, between Riku and Kairi.

Yuna passed Kairi a menu. “How are you feeling after everything that happened?” she asked gently.

“Wonderful,” Kairi told her because it was the truth. She felt better than she had in years.

Selphie peeked around Yuna from the other side. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“We always order too much food,” Wakka told her.

“It’s worth overeating,” Tidus said. His eyes rolled up in his head with bliss. “It’s so good!”

Kairi smiled and began to look over the menu. It was then that she realized why Riku had been so excited. The menu was a variety of mixed-up cuisine from different countries and worlds. It boasted coconut Thai noodles with almond and ginger, slices of glossy fish, sweet jasmine white rice with a refreshing mango salsa, Chinese eggrolls stuffed with salsa and spicy fried shrimp and crisp noodles, Korean soba with tasty crunchy vegetables, Mexican tamales wrapped in corn husk and filled with lemongrass and chicken, Italian pasta smothered in thick Alfredo. Her mouth watered.

“Wait till you see the dessert menu,” Riku said when he saw her expression.

Kairi turned the menu over and skimmed that as well. How could she ever be expected to choose between raspberry lemon swirl cheesecake, fluffy croissants with almonds, sweet bread with Bavarian crème filling, peppermint and chocolate cake, lavender Crème Brulee, brownies slathered in sweet plums, cherry and cream cheese Danish, and tiramisu?

“Kairi,” Yuna said helpfully. “You’re drooling.”

Kairi snapped her mouth shut and quickly swiped at her lips.

Tidus and Wakka chuckled at her.

“Everything is delicious,” Riku said. “You can’t go wrong with anything on this menu.”

When the time came to order, everyone chose a few things since they served it family style. Kairi chose a dumpling filled with peaches and sweet red beans. Sora smiled at her and pointed to a few things that he couldn’t pronounce. Riku ordered like an expert, rolling his Rs in all the right places and dragging out his vowels. Tidus and Wakka bickered before choosing. Selphie pointed like Sora while Yuna fumbled over the pronunciations. The waiter headed off with their order and it wasn’t long before steaming plates were set between them.

Kairi marveled at the many colors and textures.

“Try some of everything,” Riku said. He picked up a set of chopsticks, removed the paper, and snapped them. Then, he busily began making up a plate for her.

Kairi didn’t have a chance to stop him before her plate was heaped with food.

Sora picked idly at the plate he had chosen. Then, Riku loaded his plate too.

“Hey,” Sora protested when Riku handed his plate back.

“Don’t even,” Tidus said to Sora. “You’re nothing but skin and bones.”

“Yeah, bro,” Wakka added. “You’ve got to eat more.”

Seeing that he wasn’t going to win this argument, Sora set to work. He chose little morsels with his chopsticks, enjoying each flavor.

It took Kairi a few minutes to remember how to use chopsticks, but it came back to her like riding a bike. Before she knew it, she was enjoying the crunch of fried vegetables, the tang of fruit salsa, and the sweet peachy dumpling. Even Riku’s cooking couldn’t compare to how delicious this was. She nearly moaned.

Selphie and Wakka started a war over the last peach dumpling. Yuna sat back, watching them, daintily nibbling a fried egg roll filled with cheese, apples, and bacon. Riku found a slice of raw fish that he didn’t recognize and popped it into his mouth. The taste must not have been pleasant, but his expression was hilarious. Kairi giggled. Sora selected a dumpling with a curious red filling, sniffed it, and tasted it. It was so good that he put a second one on Kairi’s plate with a smile.

“I love this place,” Selphie said once she had won and enjoyed her dumpling. “Everything is just so sinfully good!”

“Taking that last dumpling was a sin,” Wakka said lowly.

Yuna offered him a plate of sushi to soothe his battered ego.

Wakka chose a slice, dipped into a spicy salsa, and moaned in delight. “Yum.”

“Try one, Kairi,” Yuna offered.

Kairi hesitated, eying the glossy fish.

“Try the tuna—the pink one,” Riku told her. “It’s the least offensive for a first timer.”

Kairi picked it off the plate with her chopsticks.

Wakka chose a fruity salsa for her to pair with it and held it out. “This one is just the right mix of sweet and spicy. Try it.”

Kairi dipped the fish and almost moaned aloud when she tasted it. The texture of the raw fish was unique, but the flavor more than made up for it.

“So good, right?” Selphie put in.

“Try this,” Yuna said to Riku. She held out a plate of what looked like red-coated cabbage. It gave off a spicy smell and looked sodden beneath the spices.

“What’s that?” Riku asked.

“Just try it.”

Riku selected a piece and ate it. Immediately, his whole face crinkled and he coughed loudly. “What is that?”

“Kimchi. It’s spicy fermented cabbage,” Yuna said. She had a bit and smiled. “I like it.”

Sora snickered at Riku.

“Alright, wise guy,” Riku bit out. “Put your money where your mouth is!”

Sora shrugged, caught Kairi looking at him, puffed up slightly, and gathered up a bite with the tip of his chopsticks. He popped it into his mouth and chewed. His face remained neutral, but his eyes began to water. “Yum,” he croaked.

“Whatever,” Yuna said and took the plate away from them. “It’s wasted on you anyway.”

Sora started coughing.

Kairi patted him on the back and handed him a glass of water.

“Thanks, Kai,” Sora said warmly.

She smiled, her fingers lingering on his even after he put the glass down. When she noticed, she flushed and quickly put a spicy shrimp into her mouth to hide her blush, but she didn’t pull away.

Riku watched the exchange with a smile, nibbling a tamale.

“Kairi,” Tidus asked, “How’ve you been? You happy to be back?”

“It’s great to be home,” she told him with a warm smile, “and back among friends.”

Tidus rested his elbows on the table, intrigued. “So, where were you all this time?”

Beside her, Sora tensed. His grip tightened on her hand almost painfully. Riku snapped his head around, already glowering at Tidus.

Kairi nudged Riku’s ankle with her foot to get his attention and put her hand soothingly on Sora’s thigh. She smiled tightly at Tidus and then sat up straight. “I was kidnapped and forced to work in the brothel between worlds,” she said without preamble, “until Riku and Sora found me and brought me home.”

The entire table—nay, the entire restaurant—fell silent.

A piece of raw fish dropped from Wakka’s chopsticks with a wet splat.

“You what?” Tidus shrieked. He started to jump to his feet but Wakka put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

Startled by his reaction, Kairi leaned into Sora. He put his arms around her like a shield, his cheek resting on the crown of her head, his breath pluming warmly on her scalp. He glowered at Tidus and the islander fell silent, his open mouth shutting with a snap. Wakka gave his shoulder a little squeeze, his eyes wide as he took in the display. Only Selphie looked surprised by the show of affection between Kairi and Sora. Yuna smiled knowingly and Riku took over the conversation.

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, Tidus,” Riku said. “She told you the truth. Now you know.”

“She’s home now,” Yuna continued before Riku got too defensive of Kairi. “Nothing else matters.”

Tidus sucked in air, shock still showing on his face.

Wakka handed him a napkin and said to Kairi, “Thank you for telling us. That couldn’t have been easy.”

Kairi tipped her face out of Sora’s chest and gave Wakka a weak little smile. “It felt good to tell you,” she confessed.

“If you want to talk,” Wakka offered, “about anything, I’d be happy to listen. I’d never judge you.”

“Thank you,” Kairi said softly. Her heart warmed and she tilted away from Sora, feeling bold enough to make that space. Sora’s hands lingered on her back and sides, supporting her.

“Besides that,” Selphie cooed. “Look at Sora and Kairi. So cute!”

Riku gave a low wolf-whistle, his grin only widening when Sora turned to frown at him.

Selphie laughed delightedly, clapping her hands.

“Congratulations,” Yuna told them.

Sora’s cheeks went pink but Kairi didn’t peel herself away from him. She held his hand firmly, even after they returned to eating. After a few moments, Sora’s color returned to normal and a warm little light in his eyes glowed as he held her hand. They ordered dessert and fell back into conversation. It felt good.

…

The end of the day came gently. The sunset was particularly beautiful, burning bright and rosy. The last wisps of clouds were washed away. Then, creeping fingers of cool twilight threaded though the burnished sky and fell like a mother’s gentle touch over a slumbering child. The perfume of native hibiscus scented the evening breeze, bringing a salty chill off the calm wine-dark ocean. The music of chirruping cicadas and crickets began to play. Peace descended on the islands.

After lunch had stretched nearly to dinner with their friends, especially after they shared the desserts and found the willpower to leave. As a result, they had said farewell and all headed home with full bellies. Sora took Kairi’s hand and walked with her back to his childhood home. With no one home, it was dark and lonely when they entered. Sora turned on a few lamps, warming the house with a golden glow.

Kairi loitered at the window, watching the sunset fade completely and the stars begin to emerge.

“Want to go for a walk?” Sora offered.

She nodded.

He took her hand again, kicked off his shoes on the back porch, waited for her to do the same, and set off down the beach. They didn’t walk far, just far enough that the noises of the town fell away. All they could hear was the szash-szash of the sea, reaching across the pale sand. Sora sat down and Kairi fell in beside him, her shoulder brushing his companionably. She tipped her head back, resting it against his shoulder, and watched the moon rise. It felt like so long since she had been able to see these things. There hadn’t been any windows in Dom’s ship—even the view of the space between worlds would have been worth looking at. Kairi had missed the view.

“Are you alright?” Sora asked.

“Just thinking,” she murmured.

“Do you… want to tell me about it?” Sora offered.

Kairi shook her head, feeling the bones of his shoulder as she moved. “No,” she said softly. “I’ll tell you some other time. Let’s just enjoy the moment for now.”

Sora nodded.

They watched the moon rise, full and bright, from the furthest edge of the ocean. The moonlight fell on them like a blanket, but the night was swiftly growing cool.

Kairi shivered.

“We should go back,” Sora told her.

She shook her head. “Not yet.”

“You’re shivering,” he said.

“I’m fine. I want to see the moon,” she told him.

Sora breathed out and got to his feet.

Kairi wanted to protest, but stopped herself at the last moment. She wasn’t used to being able to change anything that happened to her. By the time she remembered that she could, Sora had already adjusted his position. He settled in behind her on the soft sand, her back to his chest. His legs were like castle walls on either side of her and he rested his arms around her waist, leaning forward to share his body heat with her. She shuddered for a completely different reason and gingerly rested her palms on his naked knees. Sora cupped his palms in front of her, summoning a tiny flame that danced and warmed her.

“Okay?” he asked, tensing when she shivered again despite the magic.

“It’s great,” Kairi whispered. She leaned into his chest and daintily traced his palm with her fingertip. The fire leaped away from her like a living thing.

Sora’s chin settled atop her head. “Let me know if you feel uncomfortable or you want to leave.”

Now that Sora was holding her, the comfort of him wrapped all around her, Kairi wasn’t sure she’d ever want to leave. Instead, she nodded assent.

The moon rose slowly, reflecting prettily on the water.

Kairi tilted her head at an obscene angle to look at Sora. His was stunning, the silvery light catching in his eyes and on his lips. His wild hair cast elaborate shadows on his face.

“You’re going to hurt your neck like that,” Sora chided. He dipped his head slightly, his cheek brushing against hers warmly.

Kairi wriggled.

Sora loosened his arms immediately, concern dotting his features. He snuffed the little fire, momentarily blind in the dark before his eyes readjusted.

However, Kairi didn’t pull away. She turned around in the sand, shifting until she was facing him. Their faces were so close now. “Sora,” she breathed out.

Sora’s blue eyes snapped to hers. “Yeah?”

“When we’re here, like this, I…” Kairi hesitated. She worried her lower lip with her teeth.

“You can tell me,” Sora said. “Are you… uncomfortable?”

She shook her head quickly. “No, no,” she said. “It’s… This is almost everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Sora might have missed the meaning in her words had he not been so close. He could feel her tension. “Almost?” he repeated.

Kairi nodded, her gaze shy and wondering. “I’ve… I’ve always wanted you to kiss me.”

Sora’s stomach filled with heat and he was grateful for the little space between them. “You want that?” he whispered.

Kairi looked away, her deep eyes mournful. “I understand,” she said, “if you don’t want to. I mean—”

Sora squeezed her tight against his chest, not giving her a chance to escape.

A little gasp escaped her lips and she stared at him, her expression hopeful and frightened all at once.

Gingerly, Sora cupped her face in his warm sandy hand. Her skin was as soft as living velvet and he hoped his calluses weren’t too rough on her delicate skin. He tugged her closer, his fingers sliding into her hair and around the back of her head. She gasped shakily, her eyes focusing on his lips as he came closer. He could see a bit of himself reflected in her eyes and hoped that she saw all his love for her. He loved her so much. He hung there, so close, giving her a chance to pull away or close the space between them. His eyes fluttered shut.

She lingered a moment, just long enough that Sora thought he had made a mistake. Then, she leaned into him. Her mouth shaped to his perfectly and her hands clutched at his shoulders. She breathed out, her breath filling his lungs, and he took all of her into himself once again. Her kiss was sweet, timid, but so full of desire that Sora was grateful to be already sitting down. He could feel her desperation in her lips and hands—the fear that he wouldn’t let her kiss him again, the fear that he wouldn’t want to touch her again, all of it.

Sora held her close and tight, hoping that she could read in his body that he was never going to let her go again. He wanted her for as long as she would allow him to have her. The kiss broke when Kairi gasped for breath. Sora opened his eyes and searched her face. Fear was still lit up inside her eyes, but her plush lips were parted and damp. He stroked the back of her head with his thumb and pulled her in again. She melted, clutching him, soaking in his affection, drowning in his kiss. A breathy sound escaped her.

Sora took the chance to gingerly touch his tongue to her lower lip. She gasped, her mouth falling open almost in reflex. Sora didn’t delve into her. Instead, he licked again and then nibbled gently, coaxing her to relax and join him. After a moment, she did. Her tongue danced out, inviting him inside, tangling with his. She still tasted of blueberry-lemon cheesecake, sweet with a hint of tart. She melted into him, her hands finally coming up to tangle in his hair and pull him closer. Her body was flush against his and she breathed out again.

Sora let the kiss break slowly, giving her space to catch her breath.

She stared at him, breathing hard. Her face was flushed.

Sora felt lit up from the inside. He no longer felt the chill of the night, only the heat of her body and the light of her kiss. “I love you,” he said.

Kairi’s eyes welled with joyful tears. “Sora, I—”

She doubled over, pain roaring through her midsection. Her stomach was burning, thrashing. She cried out and tasted blood on her tongue, washing away the flavor of Sora’s kiss.

Sora felt darkness surge, but it was strange. It came from Kairi, but not from inside her. It was external and then, he recognized it.

“What?” Kairi choked out. She wrapped her arms around her belly. “H-hurts.”

Sora palmed a healing spell, washing the warm light over her.

She relaxed, sagging into his arms. “What’s happening?”

Searching her face for permission, Sora lifted her shirt. There, low on her pelvis like a crouching spider, was the mark of Dom’s cruel dark magic. It writhed and squirmed, violently lashing across her skin. He placed the healing magic there and it quieted, but remained as dark and hideous as ever. Sora had only seen the mark once, but it looked larger.

Kairi clutched at it, digging her fingers into her skin. “Why?” she demanded. “How can it still be hurting me?”

Sora took her hand, pulling her digging fingers away. “Hey, hey,” he soothed. “It’s okay. Calm down.”

Kairi stared up at him, her beautiful eyes red-rimmed and full of tears. The bliss in her face from his kiss was already gone. “He’s gone,” she sobbed. “I saw him—dead. Why is his mark still hurting me? Why is it even still here?”

Sora stroked her knuckles, bringing her hand to his mouth to press a gentle kiss there. “I don’t know,” he said, “but I’m going to find out. I promise.”

Kairi shut her eyes, tears leaking beneath her lids.

Sora got to his feet, cradling her in his arms. He carried her back to the house, cast a quick aero to knock the sand off them both, and made his way inside. Kairi had cried the whole way back and now had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Sora settled her in his bed and pulled the covers up over her. She curled on her side, slow tears still drying on her cheeks.

Sora headed back downstairs, found his Gummiphone, and made one call.

…

It was ungodly late when Sora called. When Riku heard the phone and then saw the clock, his heartbeat went from normal to racing in an instant. Nothing good ever happened after midnight. He snatched up the Gummiphone, relieved to see that Sora had chosen to video call him. He needed to see Sora to make sure he was okay, to make sure Kairi was okay—

“Sora?” Riku asked hastily. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

The Gummiphone’s screen was small, but Riku still had a good view of Sora. His face was pale, his eyes were troubled, and there was a furrow in his brow.

However, Sora was quick to calm Riku. “Everything okay,” he said swiftly. “It’s just… Something happened and I had to tell you about it.”

Riku’s racing heart slowed just a fraction. He sat up in bed, propped the pillows against the headboard, and settled in. “What is it?”

Sora’s cheeks flushed pink. “I kissed Kairi—”

“Sweet Moogles, Sora!” Riku exploded. “You called me in the middle of the night and woke me from a dead sleep to tell me that? I almost had a heart attack!”

Sora waved his hand, catching Riku’s attention. “It’s not that. Let me finish.”

Riku rearranged the covers and slumped against the pillows. “Continue.”

“I told her I loved her and when she started to say it back, something… happened.” Sora’s eyes darted away, scouring the shadows.

Riku sat up slightly, puzzled by the behavior. Sora looked worried, very worried. “What? Tell me.”

Sora took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Remember, when I smelled dark magic? Kairi has… a dark mark on her.”

“A dark mark?” Riku repeated, recalling the inky mark he had glimpsed when they first rescued her. “Like a curse or residue?”

Sora shrugged, biting the corner of his mouth with concern. His hand wobbled and the video screen shook before he steadied the phone again. “I don’t really know how to explain it. I don’t know much about dark magic, but she told me that it’s… some kind of spell to stop her from getting pregnant.”

Riku’s knuckles whitened on the phone. Rage bubbled inside his chest. As if it wasn’t enough to have stolen Kairi and sold her body, but Dom had changed her with dark magic as well. Riku wished—for just a moment—that he had gotten a crack at Dom before Sora had eliminated him.

Sora continued, “When she tried to tell me that she loved me too… it reacted.”

Riku expected Sora to go on, but he scanned the shadows again. A few lamps were on in the background and Riku could see that Sora was pacing his childhood living room. Sora looked nervous, unsettled, and Riku prompted him, “What exactly happened?”

“It hurt her, Riku,” Sora said finally. “She doubled over. She was crying. That mark… it looked like it was going to tear her apart. I put a healing spell on it and she’s sleeping now, but I’m worried… What if killing Dom made his spell unstable? What if it kills her, after everything? What if—”

Riku sat up, leaning over the phone. “Stop, Sora. Don’t panic.”

Sora turned his gaze back to the phone. “What should I do?”

“Get some sleep, if you can. If you can’t, just stay with Kairi. In the morning, after she’s rested, you and I will look at the mark together,” Riku said. He had really hoped that they would be able to deal with the dark magic on Kairi when she was ready, but it seemed that time was not on their side. He thought a moment longer, listening to the rasp of Sora’s shaky breathing. “We should have Mickey come with us. He knows more about dark magic than I do.”

“Donald too,” Sora added.

“Okay,” Riku nodded and continued, “So, don’t panic. Settle in with Kairi for the night. Meet me for breakfast. After that, we’ll take care of it together. Okay?”

Sora nodded slowly. “Yeah, okay,” he murmured.

“See you in the morning,” Riku said.

Sora clicked the phone off.

Riku lay for a moment in the darkness, the phone gripped in his hand. He stared at the ceiling, fighting the anger and hatred welling inside his chest. He thrashed around, tangling in the covers, sweating despite the overhead fan. How could that bastard have hurt Kairi like this? Riku was glad he was dead, but he wished Dom had suffered more—

Riku shut down that train of thought. The darkness was too close to him. He didn’t want anything to happen as a result of his thoughts. The last thing they needed was an influx of Heartless on Destiny Islands because Riku couldn’t keep his emotions in check. He took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and managed to fall asleep.

…

When Kairi woke in the morning, her stomach ached and cramped dully. She lifted her shirt. The mark was red and angry at the edges as though it had been cut or burned. She touched it and withdrew with a hiss. She had never seen it look like this before, not even on other girls. She wished she could ask Eilonwy about it. Instead, she rolled over uncomfortably.

Sora was lying beside her, stretched atop the blankets. His face was pinched and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. He must have stayed up late, worrying about her after she had cried herself to sleep. She stretched out a hand and gently touched his face. She smiled, warmed from the inside out by the memories of last night. Sora had kissed her. He loved her—

Pain shot through her middle again and she whimpered, drawing her legs to her chest.

Sora’s eyes fluttered open, took in the expression on her face, and he quickly sat up. “Kai,” he said with concern. “Are you okay?”

The pain ebbed slowly and she stretched her legs out.

“I’m okay,” she said softly. “Really.”

Sora didn’t look convinced. He laid his hand atop hers, pressing her clammy palm to his cheek. “Riku, the king, and Donald are going to look at that mark after breakfast. If anyone can do anything about it, they can.”

Kairi breathed out. “I’m not sure there’s anything to be done about it,” she confessed. It felt like so long ago that her belly had been round with life, that Dom had strapped her to that table, that he had carved his curse into her skin, that dark magic had leeched that little life and so much blood from her body.

Sora searched her face, only able to see the sorrow. “Kai?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’m okay now.”

“It hurt you,” Sora protested. “Has it done that before?”

“No,” she told him. “And I’d never seen it look like this on one of the other girls. Maybe it’s because Dom is dead.” Tears pricked her eyes and she pressed a palm over the strong cramps in her stomach. “But… I thought it would get weaker if he was gone. Why is it hurting me now?”

Sora rested his hand over hers. “We’ll take care of it,” he told her. “Right after breakfast, we’ll meet the others.”

Kairi nodded and squeezed his hand.

“Do you feel up to eating anything?” Sora asked. “I think you should.”

“Maybe just some toast and tea,” Kairi said. “Something light. My stomach hurts.”

Sora nodded and carefully climbed out of bed. “If you wait here, I’ll bring it to you.”

Kairi dragged on his hand. “No, I want to come with you,” she protested. She pushed the covers back and stepped out of bed. She was relieved to find that her legs were just as strong as before. Whatever the dark mark was doing to her wasn’t affecting the rest of her body—yet.

Sora led her downstairs, his bare feet slapping on the hardwood.

Kairi sat at the round breakfast table, warmed by the sunlight streaming into the little nook, while Sora plugged in the toaster and dropped some bread into it. He didn’t have a kettle and instead put a mug of water into the microwave to warm. When it dinged, he set it in front of Kairi along with a tea bag, milk, sugar, and honey. Kairi picked up the jar and rolled it between her palms in awe. It had been so long since she had had honey in her tea. Honey was a luxury that Dom didn’t bother with, much like sugar and chocolate. She added several spoonfuls.

Sora snatched the toast out of the air when it finished, put it on a plate, and set it out for Kairi. He pulled jelly and peanut butter out of the cabinets, offering both to her. Then, he set about preparing some toast for himself. He poured a glass of orange juice and drank it quickly, replenishing his magic reserves, just in case. They ate quietly.

Kairi sipped her tea, closing her eyes in bliss at the sweet flavor. “I missed honey.”

“Have a spoonful,” Sora offered.

She took him up on it, smiling as she let the honey melt on her tongue.

Sora couldn’t resist leaning across the table to kiss her. Kairi cupped his face, drawing him closer and deeper. She tasted sweet, like honey and strawberry jam. Sora drew back from her before he was tempted to kiss her forever. Afterall, Riku was waiting for them and Sora was worried about the mark.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

“I should shower,” Kairi said and fingered a limp lock of her hair.

“You look beautiful to me,” Sora said.

She smiled shyly at him, pressed another lingering kiss to his mouth, and slipped past him regardless to get cleaned up.

Sora washed the dishes and put away the toaster. He put his heavy boots back on, but didn’t don his armored jacket. Kairi came downstairs a few minutes later with her skin pink from the shower and her hair damp. She had changed into clean shorts and a pink t-shirt with a dreamcatcher on the front. She toed on her sandals. She looked lovely, but Sora didn’t miss the way her hand hovered low on her middle. The mark was hurting her.

“Are you ready?” Sora asked.

Kairi nodded.

Together, they walked to Riku’s house. The morning was altogether too buttery and cheerful for how Kairi was feeling, though she tried to enjoy the chirping birds and smell of the sea. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. What if Dom’s mark killed her? What if this was her last…? She squeezed Sora’s hand.

Riku was waiting for them on the porch when they arrived, his hands wrapped around a steaming mug. He looked like he hadn’t slept at all and Sora felt a pang of guilt. However, Riku bounded down the steps to greet them and he didn’t look short on energy. Maybe had had drank a potion or too much coffee.

Riku embraced Kairi gently and stood back to look at her. “How do you feel?”

“Achy,” she told him. “Like I’ve got terrible cramps.”

Riku made a face, but quickly resumed, “Mickey, Donald, and Goofy will meet us at the Gummi Ship. If they can’t figure something out, we’ll take you to Yen Sid.”

Sora swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn’t want to think about what they would do if Yen Sid couldn’t help Kairi.

Riku fell into step beside them as they headed back to the Gummi Ship. It seemed a little unfair that they were back in it so soon. Riku had hoped to have a little more time to relax and regroup. He had been taking care of Sora for so long that he needed a little time to himself. Riku unlocked the door and ushered them inside, shivering in the air-conditioned coolness after so much time at the beach. He went to the little kitchenette and started a pot of coffee, picking at the few non-perishables that he had leftover in the cabinets and fridge.

“Pickle?” he offered Kairi once he wrestled the jar open.

She had the good sense not to smile at his plight and shook her head.

Sora guided her to sit on the sofa and settled in beside her. For some reason, the Gummi Ship felt smaller than he remembered.

There was a musical knock on the door, echoing against the walls, and Donald opened it. Mickey entered next, followed by Goofy. They all looked well-rested, as they should be since Riku had only contacted them that morning and not in the middle of the night like Sora had chosen to do to him.

Goofy made his way over to Kairi while Donald headed for the coffeepot. Mickey and Riku stepped to one side, speaking in low voices. Sora got up to join them, letting Goofy slide into his place. He let go of Kairi’s hand and caught himself looking back to make sure she was still there. She smiled fondly at him before turning her attention to Goofy.

“How are you feeling, Kairi?” Goofy asked kindly.

She pressed a pillow to her lower belly. “Okay,” she told him. “Just have some bad cramps.”

“My wife used to say eating bananas was good for that. Should I get one for you?”

Kairi shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay.” She kept to herself that potassium probably couldn’t soothe the cramps she had. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Sora, Riku, and Mickey converse. Mickey didn’t look too concerned, which did something to calm her nerves. She felt nervous enough for all of them.

Donald walked over with his mug of coffee and settled in beside Kairi.

Mickey wrapped up the conversation and headed over to Kairi with Riku and Sora in tow. “Kairi, do you mind showing me the mark?”

She shook her head, lifted her shirt, and shimmied her shorts down slightly lower so that he could see all of it. The mark was angrier than it had been when she woke up. Just the sight of it sent a new wave of pain through her. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out.

Donald moved aside and Sora slipped into his place. He took her hand and held it tightly. Kairi squeezed his fingers, comforted by his presence even as the pain increased.

Mickey touched her belly gently, his gloved hands warm and soft. “It’s definitely dark magic,” he said thoughtfully. “It looks like it’s breaking down.”

“Is that a good thing?” Riku asked.

Mickey scrutinized the roiling dark. “It could be. There’s only one way to find out.”

“Can we help?” Goofy offered.

Mickey rocked back on his heels. “I don’t think so,” he said and gingerly let Kairi’s t-shirt fall over her stomach. “This mark is old and since it’s causing Kairi pain, I think we need to have Master Yen Sid look at it. I don’t want to risk her health by waiting to see what happens.”

“We have a warp drive,” Riku said. “We can fly there in twenty minutes.”

Mickey nodded. “We’ll fly with you, unless you’d prefer we take our own ship.”

Riku shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got the space.”

Mickey followed Riku to the controls and sat beside him, still talking in a low voice. He was probably worried about Sora and Kairi. Riku powered up the Gummi Ship and took off, leaving Destiny Island behind. Goofy and Donald settled in at the kitchen table. Sora remained at Kairi’s side, holding her hand.

“Can I get you anything?” Sora asked.

Kairi tipped her head back into the couch cushions. “Just stay with me,” she said and her voice was small.

“Always,” Sora promised.

The flight was uneventful. Goofy joined them on the couch and regaled Kairi with stories of Sora’s terrible flying when he had first been given a Gummi Ship. Kairi laughed, happy to have a distraction, while Sora protested in a good-natured way. Donald joined them, telling Kairi about Sora’s failed magical exploits. She laughed again, smiling at Sora even as he blushed with embarrassment.

“They’ll be okay, I think,” Riku told Mickey.

Mickey was watching the exchange with a small smile. “Thank goodness,” he said. “I was so worried about Sora. Thank you for staying with him all this time, Riku. It can’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t,” Riku admitted. He thought of his time with Sora on that deserted asteroid, of holding him down the day they found Kairi, of worrying about him in the hospital. “But he’s my best friend. I couldn’t just leave him, you know?”

Mickey nodded thoughtfully.

“Kairi’s mark,” Riku murmured. “There’s something you’re not telling the others.”

Mickey swallowed. “It’s… not my place to say. Kairi should be the one to tell you.”

“How it happened?” Riku ventured. “She said Dom did it to her.”

“I imagine he would have,” Mickey said. He rubbed his hands together, shivering. “It’s… a terrible old spell. That’s why we need Yen Sid’s expertise.”

“We’ll be there soon,” Riku assured him.

The space between worlds drifted by. Then, finally, the Mysterious Tower loomed in the distance. It wasn’t always the easiest place to find. Often, it was impossible to land there unless Yen Sid wanted you too. Mickey had tried to call ahead, but using the Gummiphone was something that escaped a man of Yen Sid’s advanced age. However, it seemed Yen Sid was expecting them regardless. The door of the tower hung open, Riku noticed, as he docked the ship.

“That’s good,” Mickey remarked. “Maybe he did get my message after all.”

The Gummi Ship bumped the world as it docked and Riku powered off the engines. Goofy and Donald followed Mickey to the door, excited to see Yen Sid. Sora helped Kairi up and looped her elbow through his. She walked unsteadily, leaning on him with a hand pressed low beside the dark mark.

“You okay?” Riku asked.

Kairi nodded, but sweat was beaded on her brow.

“Riku,” Sora began. His voice was urgent with concern.

“We’re here,” Riku told him. “Yen Sid will help her. We’ll carry her up the stairs.”

They joined Mickey, Donald, and Goofy on the plush green lawn. The tower was so tall that it appeared to disappear into the starry sky. The flowering bushes were overgrown, but the grass was neatly trimmed and jewel-green with health. A light glowed at the top of the tower, filtering through the clouds. The door hung open, beckoning them inside.

Then, there was a muffled explosion.

The ground shook beneath their feet and black smoke began to rise from the illuminated window.

Mickey began, “What was—?”

A sea of shadow Heartless poured from the open door.

Donald cursed, the words lost in his squawk as Heartless leaped at him hungrily. Goofy plunged forward without hesitation, blocking as much of the onslaught with his shield as he could. Mickey and Riku drew their Keyblades and dove forward behind him. Mickey matched Donald’s defensive spells with light magic while Riku went for brute force. He doubled back when a Soldier tried to break past them and get to Sora and Kairi.

“Get Kairi out of here!” Riku shouted.

Sora was frozen in place, horror clogging his throat. It was happening all over again. Kairi would be—

A Shadow slipped into the ground, wove underneath Donald’s legs, and popped up behind them.

Sora whirled, Oblivion answering his panicked call, and slashed it away. He was still holding onto Kairi and his sudden movement dragged her down. She cried out as she fell, the plush grass cushioning her landing. She pressed a hand to the dark mark, tears dripping down her cheeks. The pain was white-hot, burning and searing. She wanted to scream.

Sora dropped to his knees with her. “Kairi, Kairi,” he said breathlessly. His hands fluttered helplessly over her, healing magic sputtering.

Behind him, through the blur of tears, she saw a Shadow rise. Its gold lantern-like eyes speared into her soul, stinging her chest with fear.

It leaped at them—at Sora’s exposed back as he focused on her.

Rage took hold. No, not this time, Kairi thought. Nothing was taking her away this time, especially not one measly Shadow.

The roaring pain in her abdomen fell away as she grabbed Sora’s fallen Keyblade. Her body recognized it, recognized the call of her own destiny and birthright. Her magic answered, pounding like a tsunami inside of her. She felt light and power, she felt strong and ready, she felt the way she used to. Oathkeeper answered at her touch. Recalling the long-ago training that had felt like a dream while she was in Dom’s brothel, she threw Sora’s Keyblade with pinpoint accuracy.

The Shadow screamed, its heart vanishing to freedom in a puff of light.

Sora snapped around, his mouth dropping open as he bolted to his feet, ready to defend her. Oblivion returned to his hands.

“Help me up,” Kairi said. She reached for him.

Sora took her outstretched hand and pulled her to her feet.

Her legs felt strong, the muscles bunching as she resumed her old stance. She fell into place beside him. The memory—the feeling—came back to her like an old friend. She reached out and summoned Destiny’s Embrace. The weight of her weapon—after so long alone and defenseless, helpless and tormented, used and violated—was like an answered prayer. The light still came to her, even after everything that had happened. To know that was a balm for all the doubts that had been burning inside her. She was still herself, still a Princess of Heart, still a Keybearer, still Kairi.

Riku had frozen as well, his Way to Dawn dangling from his fingers.

“Riku!” Mickey shouted with alarm as a Large Body bore down on him.

Kairi thought of fire and light and summoned both. The Large Body was pushed back, giving Mickey time to defend Riku. She spun on her toes in the grass, feeling lighter and freer than she ever thought possible. The pain and the dark were miles away. She weighed Destiny’s Embrace in her palm, feeling the warmth of it like a living thing, her heart given form and strength.

Sora fell in beside her like a puzzle piece, completing the image of her.

Then, Riku joined her other side. Wisps of power came off him.

All at once, it was like coming home.

Mickey, Goofy, and Donald took up the rear. Kairi fell back a step, supporting Riku and Sora as they mowed down Heartless in perfect harmony. She watched their backs and covered any opening they left behind. It felt so good to fight again, to channel her power and magic. They worked their way through the tide of Heartless, heading up to the source of the explosion at the top of Yen Sid’s tower. The higher they climbed, the fewer Heartless there were until they found themselves at the open door of Yen Sid’s study. He was inside, breathing hard, his pointed hat askew. He righted it and smoothed his beard when he saw them.

“Mickey,” the old wizard greeted. “Riku, Sora, Donald, Goofy, it’s good to see you all.”

“Hello Master,” Mickey said politely.

Then, Yen Sid’s eyes fell on Kairi and his withered hand began to tremble. “Oh, Kairi. Is that you?”

She stepped forward and took his hand. “Hi Master,” she said warmly.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Yen Sid pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly. “You’re alright. Oh, my dear girl, you’re alright. Thank goodness!”

Confused, Kairi glanced at Mickey, Riku, and Sora. They were looking back at her with just as much confusion.

“Um, Master,” Mickey said finally. “I sent you a message that we’d found Kairi, remember?”

Yen Sid snapped around, his sharp eyes pinning Mickey in place. “What? You did no such thing!”

Mickey cowered but continued, “I did. I called you the day Riku called us to say that he and Sora had found her.”

Yen Sid snatched off his hat and threw it at Mickey, his free arm still hugging Kairi tightly. “What?” he demanded. “You mean my attempts to recreate the wormhole that took her have been for nothing? All the Heartless that snuck in here when my attempts failed—for nothing?”

Mickey backed away, holding Yen Sid’s hat nervously. “I called the Gummiphone—”

“I hate that infernal machine!” Yen Sid shouted.

Mickey fell silent.

Goofy and Donald turned around, hiding their snickers.

With a huff, Yen Sid turned his attention back to Kairi. “My dear girl, I am so relieved to hear that you have returned to us safely. Come, sit.”

Kairi perched on the chair in front of his desk. However, once she was seated, she became aware of just how little strength she had left. She sagged against the cushions, her arms and legs shaking. She shivered, suddenly chilled despite the warm fire. Riku shrugged out of his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Sora produced a potion from his pocket and offered it to her. Kairi sipped it, feeling revitalized almost immediately.

“What brings you to my tower?” Yen Sid asked. He glowered pointedly at Mickey, “Since it was apparently not to tell me that you found Kairi safely.”

“It’s about Kairi,” Riku hedged in gingerly. “We rescued her from a… terrible place. Her captor placed dark magic on her. It left a mark and now it seems to be breaking down.”

Yen Sid searched Kairi’s face with his sharp eyes. “May I see the mark?”

She nodded, passed Sora back his remaining potion, and lifted her shirt. Then, she tugged the waist of her shorts down. Confused, she unbuttoned and unzipped the fly, but there was no sign of Dom’s mark. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t felt the pain since she had summoned her Keyblade. Grinning, she looked up into Yen Sid’s face.

“It’s gone!” she said with delight. “It’s really gone.”

Yen Sid bent over and placed his hand on her shoulder. Kairi felt his magic, winding and exploring her body. She shivered at the unusual but not unpleasant sensation. After a moment, Yen Sid straightened up and tucked his hands into his sleeves. Thoughtfully, he said, “It seems that whatever dark magic that this man placed upon you was burned away by your own pure light.”

Kairi smiled at Yen Sid, at Sora, at Riku. “I’m okay,” she said cheerfully. “I’m really okay.”

Relief melted Sora’s bones. Despite himself, he ran his fingers over the clear skin of her stomach and didn’t even notice the blush that flared on Kairi’s face. “You’re okay, you’re okay,” he repeated. Then, he threw his arms around her and embraced her tightly. Tears pricked his eyes.

Kairi hugged him in return, sliding her fingers into his hair and holding him close.

“Thank you, Master,” Riku said.

Yen Sid held up a hand. “I didn’t do anything. Kairi healed the dark magic all on her own,” he said thoughtfully. “Now, please, enlighten me with the story of how she came to be here since I find myself unable to use that blasted contraption of Mickey’s.”

Riku bit back a laugh. “Of course,” he said and delved into the tale.

XXX

Originally, I had Dom physically injure Kairi to take away her ability to have children and then I undid that with the ‘magical healing cock’ trope. Honestly, the change to dark magic was much better in my opinion.

Do me a favor, everybody! Tell me what your favorite part [the strongest part] and your least favorite part [the weakest part] of this story was.

Questions, comments, concerns?


	16. Finale

Thanks for your patience everyone. I was waiting for the inspiration to strike to write some smut to close this out.

X X X

After the they parted ways with Yen Sid, much to Mickey's relief, they flew back to Destiny Islands with the warp drive. Mickey had abandoned everything in Disney Castle when Riku called with Kairi's problem and they needed to return as soon as possible. Goofy docked the Gummi Ship over the beach and they started saying farewell.

Mickey squeezed Kairi tightly and she tucked her face against his shoulder. “Don't hesitate to call if you need anything else,” Mickey said. “I'm sorry I have to go now, but I left a lot of things unfinished when Riku called. I'm here for you, Kairi.”

“Thank you,” she said and squeezed his gloved hand.

Mickey smiled and moved aside to say farewell to Riku. They spoke in hushed tones, voices serious for several minutes.

Goofy hugged Kairi next and his embrace was very much like the father Kairi had lost. She burrowed into him, fighting a sudden onslaught of tears that wanted to pour out. “I'm here to listen if you ever want to talk,” Goofy offered. “I'm a good listener.”

“I will,” she assured him and surreptitiously wiped her eyes.

Sora slipped into Goofy's embrace, snuggling into Goofy's chest with a contented smile.

Goofy told him the same thing, followed by, “You take care of yourself first, then everyone else, okay?”

It was good advice, Kairi thought.

Donald hugged her briefly and said, “If you need any help with magic, I'm just a call away.”

“I'll be in touch,” Kairi said and patted his back.“Hopefully all my old skills will come back to me once I start using them again.”

“Just like riding a bike,” Donald agreed.

Sora scooped Donald up in his arms, much to Donald's displeasure. Donald squawked for a moment before grudgingly hugging Sora's face. Laughing, Sora set him back on his feet and came to stand beside Kairi. Their hands bumped and Sora startled, but Kairi threaded their fingers together. He smiled at her, eyes as warm as the sea at high noon.

They watched as Riku finished up his farewells. Kairi was grateful—so grateful. She wouldn't even be here if not for her friends who were willing to go to the ends of the earth and back for her. She had missed them so much. Unbidden, tears pricked her eyes.

“Bye,” Sora called.

“Drive safely,” Riku told them.

Mickey, Donald, and Goofy waved. The door of the Gummi Ship closed with a hiss and the engines hummed to life.

Sora, Riku, and Kairi stood on the sand and watched until the Gummi Ship disappeared into the ether. Once they were alone, Kairi became aware of a stiff breeze blowing off the ocean and shivered. Sora immediately put his arm around her and pulled her close, rubbing her arms for friction. They had spent a lot of time with Yen Sid and night had fallen.

Riku looked at them and then glanced at the moon's position. “It's so late,” he said. “We should get some sleep.”

Kairi opened her mouth to protest—she wasn't ready to leave Riku yet—but a yawn came out instead. She swayed on her feet, mentally and physically drained. It was only Sora's arm that kept her on her feet.

Riku smiled as though reading her mind. “Sora, you take care of her,” he ordered. “Get her home safely.”

Sora rubbed Kairi's shoulder, smiling. “Want me to carry you?”

She shook her head. “I'm okay,” she assured him. “Goodnight, Riku. See you in the morning?”

“I'll see you tomorrow,” he agreed. “Get some sleep, both of you.” He gave them each a quick hug and set off towards his home. Before long, the darkness swallowed him up. Kairi could only track his progress by the glint of moonlight on his silver hair. Then, even that was gone.

Sora gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “Kai, you ready to go?”

Jolted from her daze, she nodded.

Still holding her close, they set off up the beach for Sora's childhood home. The door was still unlocked from their hasty departure, but Destiny Island had always been safe. It was only habit—too long on the road, in danger—that made Sora check each room before he felt that he could relax. Kairi followed him as he cleared each room, her sleepy face adorable in the moonlight. Finally, Sora turned on the lamp in his bedroom and brought Kairi into the bathroom.

“You should get cleaned up,” he told her gently.

She twisted her fingers in his shirt, dragging him closer. “Shower with me?”

Sora smiled slightly and nodded. He turned on the water and helped Kairi out of her clothes. Naked, she stood shamelessly before him. Though Sora did his best not to stare at her, it was difficult to tear his eyes from her pale skin. He wanted to press his lips to every inch of her, worship her, show her how much he cared, how much he loved her. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he peeled off his clothes and guided her into the shower.

The warm water cascaded over them and Kairi groaned in bliss, tipping her head beneath the spray. She sagged into Sora, her muscles liquefying beneath the onslaught of hot water. He propped her against his bare chest and reached around her for the loofa. He squeezed some body wash into it, worked it into a lather, and began to wash her chest.

She closed her eyes, letting him rub the loofa over her skin. He leaned her forward against the wall and washed her back, working his fingers into her muscles. With each touch, the caress of water, she felt the scars of countless cruelties washing away. She shuddered, arching into Sora's touch as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush with his chest.

He held her for a long time, until the water started getting cold. Only then did he peel himself away from her and quickly scrub his body down. Clean, he shut off the water and lifted her out of the shower. He wrapped her in a towel and briskly dried her. She was almost dozing, warm and comfortable in Sora's tender care.

Smiling, Sora gathered her in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. He set her down on the bed and fished a clean tank top out of his drawer. He slipped it over her head and tugged it down so that she was covered. He gave her a pair of clean panties from her bag. Then, he shimmied into some clean boxers and tried to give her a pair of bottoms as well. She nudged him away and dragged him forward so that she could wrap her arms around him.

“Sleep,” she said softly.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

She nodded, making a little sound of contentment.

Sora slipped beneath the covers and curled up with her in his arms. Kairi fell asleep quickly, her face smooth with peace and dreams. Sora absently brushed a lock of cranberry hair behind her ear, tracing the apple of her cheek with his thumb, then settling his palm against the curve of her jaw. He kissed her cheek lightly and then surrendered.

…

When Kairi woke in the morning, she was swathed in a perfect fariytale. Sora slumbered beside her, spooned against her back with his arm curled securely over her middle. His even breaths stirred her hair, tickled her cheek, teased her with the phantom of a touch. She wriggled backwards against him, snuggling deeper into his embrace. He mumbled faintly in his dreams and his lashes fluttered as he woke. He stared at her for a moment before a dreamy smile graced his face. He dipped down against her and she felt him smiling against her shoulder.

“Good morning,” he murmured and pressed a little kiss to her lips.

She chased it. “Will you kiss me again?”

He whispered, “Always.”

Sora's kiss was like a firework, like an explosion of magic, like a spread of white wings. Kairi couldn't help but gasp into him, her lips parting to bring him in the way a flower welcomed the sunlight. She was safe with him, she knew that. He threaded his fingers through her tangled hair and tugged her closer, deepening the kiss, strengthening their bond. She gripped the front of his shirt, clutched his waist, pulled herself flush against him. She drew him closer, nibbling his lower lip. She could taste him. She wanted more.

“Please,” she murmured. “I want to feel you.”

Sora made a soft sound, his hips tilting against hers.

Boldly, she cupped his erection through his pajamas.

Sora startled a little, putting some space between them before the sensations overwhelmed him. “Are you sure? Now?”

Kairi's eyes dragged open and searched his face. “You would ask me that?”

Sora's throat flashed as he swallowed. “Of course,” he said. “I want you to be happy and I'd never want you to regret... You—you don't have to do anything with me, ever, not if you don't want to.” He trailed his fingertips along her lips, down her throat, over the jumping pulse there.

Kairi tilted her head, welcoming the touch, shifting her hair back over her shoulder. He continued to caress her, his hand sliding along the curve of her breast, the bell of her hip, the sensitive skin where Dom's dark mark used to be. She shuddered all over when he touched her. Sora started to pull his hand away but she caught it and drew it back. She settled his palm on her breast, right over her heart.

“I love you, Sora,” she whispered. “I want to share my body with you. I want to know what it feels like to...”

Sora opened his mouth, a question jumping there, but then swallowed it.

Kairi read his confusion, his concern. She smiled sadly and cradled his face against her palm. He leaned into the touch, soaking it up. “I want to know what it feels like to be with someone I love,” Kairi told him. She kissed his lips sweetly.

He smiled. “I love you, Kairi,” he murmured. His hand was still resting over her breast and he experimentally curled his fingers.

She gasped, a desperate moan escaping as her flesh hummed beneath his touch.

Sora pulled away quickly. “I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she assured him. “It felt good.”

His confidence renewed, Sora dove into her. He cupped her breasts with both hands, finding the peaks of her nipples through her tank top and drawing his thumbs over them. She gasped his name, arching into the touch, digging her fingers into his shoulders. Sora carefully rolled on top of her, his touch becoming butterfly-light as he loomed over her.

Her breath caught—just for a second.

She let it out.

This was Sora. As long as she was with him, she would be safe. She was loved.

He smiled, his question unspoken.

She nodded and smiled back.

Sora dipped his head, catching her lips again. Her tongue darted out, dancing, battling, tangling with his.

Kairi shifted beneath him, lifting her knee, pressing her thigh against the bulge of his manhood. She wet her lips and cautiously slipped her fingers beneath the hem of his pajama top. His skin was sort and warm. He drew away, lifting his arms so she could peel the garment away from his body. Appreciatively, she ran her hands down the contours of his musculature, tracing the path of his scars and bones. She put her lips to the hollow of his chest, where there was a faint sunken scar from freeing her heart in Hollow Bastion.

As her fingers traced the sides of his waist, he giggled girlishly. “That tickles!” he protested.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth mischievously, filing that information away for the future.

Sora smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her playfully with a loud smack.

Kairi giggled. She pulled him down against her, tangling her fingers through his soft chestnut hair.

Sora's hands were steady as they reached for her tank top. He didn't lift it right away, instead making space to look into her eyes. She nodded, arching her back so he could pull the shirt over her head. Nervously, her hands fluttered to cover herself. It was only habit that left her bare to him, even as shame bubbled up beneath her ribs.

“Wait,” she pleaded. “Sora, I...”

Sora paused, his eyes coming back to meet her gaze. “Are you okay?” His expression was open and earnest, concerned.

“Never mind,” she murmured and tangled her fingers in the sheets.

Sora leaned in to kiss her again, distracting her from her bared flesh. His hands were naked, gloveless, on her skin. The thought sent ripples of pleasure and heat through her body. When he touched her, she ached into it. His skin was warm and rough, but his caresses were so gentle that she felt as though she was melting. He found her nipples, pebbled with the chill of morning, and rolled them between his fingers. A spike of pleasure lanced through her and settled deep in her core.

She made a small sound in her chest, part-moan, part cry of bliss, as the pleasure settled inside her like a living thing.

Sora's broke the kiss, but she only had a moment to mourn the loss of him before his mouth lit a fire in her body. He stoked it, fanning the embers from her jaw down. He nudged her with his nose, encouraging her to turn her head. She did, giving him access to nip at her pulse and her earlobe, shuddering when his teeth just touched her oversensitive skin. He laved a path down her throat, suckling lightly. He feathered kisses on her collarbones, on the swells of her heaving breasts.

He cradled her breasts in his palms, stealing a glance at her blissful face. He had planned to check in, to ask if this was okay, but her expression urged him to continue.

Sora returned to his kisses. He drew her nipple into his mouth and nibbled it gently with his teeth, keeping her other breast warm against his palm. She moaned and writhed beneath him, whispering his name in shards and making small stunning sounds. Pressing his hips between her parted thighs, he could feel the heat of her. He lowered one hand, pressing against her through the barriers of cloth. She sucked in air at the pressure, eyes fluttering open, flushed and panting.

He waited, just touching her, stroking absently.

Her gaze sought his and she smiled. “I want you, Sora,” she said.

He swallowed and then peeled down her panties. The first brush of his fingers against her overheated core made her tense. He stroked the inside of her thigh, coaxing her, opening her up. She breathed out shakily and spread her legs. The invitation was what he had been waiting for. Gently, he ran his fingers through her parted folds. She was slick and warm and arched off the bed with a cry when he touched her very center. He kept his touches light, fleeting, letting her adjust.

Then, he slipped his fingers into her and pressed his thumb to the base of her clit. She almost screamed, mouth falling open as she bucked and writhed beneath his hands. Her muscles seized around his fingers, pulling him into her tight wet heat. Sora smiled, watching her come undone. Panting, she collapsed and stared at him in bliss.

He would have been content to leave it there, to give her want he could and take nothing for himself, but she reached for him. She pushed down his pajamas and wrapped her fingers around him, inhaling sharply as she did so. He didn't know how he measured up, but his member looked big in her small hands and she curiously drew her fingers over his weeping head.

“You don't—”

She kissed him, smiling. “I want you,” she whispered. “All of you.”

Kairi tugged him into position between her thighs and he fit there like he was meant to be. She guided him inside her and he pressed easily into her slick passage. Her fingers dug into his back, her breath coming tight, but she made no move to stop him. He slid in slowly until he was sheathed inside her completely.

Then, he sighed her name.

She rocked her hips against him. “I'm alright,” she said. “I'm ready.”

He fit inside her like the missing piece of a puzzle, filling up her emptiness, giving her his light and his love.

Sora kissed her gently before he began to move. He found his rhythm quickly, setting a fast pace that brought her to the edge of pleasure quickly. She clung to him like he was a port in a storm, her fingers biting into his shoulders. Gasping breaths tore from her with each thrust. A coil began to build inside her, tightening with every move he made, every kiss he placed on her, every breath of her name.

Sora began to lose his pace, erratic deep thrusts forcing the breath from her lungs. Her breasts bounced. He reached between them and found her pearl, pressing his thumb to her, letting his thrusts provide stimulation. Her muscles clenched around him and his girth tore a second orgasm from her with a stifled scream. It was all she could do to cling to him, dragging him over the edge with her.

She felt him empty inside her, sticky and sated. She cupped his face as he softened, as he caught his breath.

He gazed into her flushed face and she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Smiling, he touched her lips and she kissed his fingertips.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “That was... all I ever wanted.”

He didn't have the words to say all that he was feeling. Instead, he just kissed her and hoped that she understood. “I love you,” he said when they parted.

She smiled. “I love you too.”

Sora curled around her, protectively sheltering her nudity against his own. She curled into him, head on his chest, holding him tight, feeling the heat of his skin. She could hear the fast beat of his strong heart. Though she had felt well-rested when she woke, it wasn't long before she found herself dozing off in the sunlight. Sora was warm all around her, gently stroking her back and her hair.

Sora lay awake long after she fell back asleep, breathing in the scent of her sweat and her skin. He couldn't believe how lucky he had been—to find her, to bring her home, to repair their relationship, to have her in his arms once again. Their bond was stronger than ever before. She had given him a piece of herself and he had done the same. It was a piece he would never let go of.

And he would never let her go.

X X X

Questions, comments, concerns? 


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